Fade into me
by AddriannaDestiny
Summary: Caroline Forbes has never been happy in her human life and in a town where you either side with the vampires or the werewolves, she finds her vampire life miserable. She tries to survive in Mystic Falls unaware that the arrival of the Original family along with the most powerful Alpha in the world will awake ancient curses and a long lost hope for happiness and love. AU Meme
1. Pilot

Rebekah fixed her braid and took in a deep breath following the old woman inside the classroom.

She avoided looking at the full room and focused on the rather handsome teacher, he nodded at the explanation the woman gave him and looked at Rebekah.

She forced a smile, coming off as hostile on the very first day was rude.

"Ok dear, enjoy your first day at Mystic Falls High" the old woman said tapping Rebeka's arm gently.  
She kept her smile and looked at her new History teacher.

"Listen up class, we have a new student" he addressed the busy class and then Rebekah "I'm Alaric Salztman and you are..." he gazed over the file Mrs Johnson had given him "...Rebekah Mikaelson" he shot his head back at her "As in the old Mikaelson family? They remote back to the very origin of Mystic Falls"

Rebekah smiled "Yes, my ancestors were part of the first founding families"  
Alaric shook his head "Excuse me for my enthusiasm but I'm passionate about the history of our beloved town"

Rebekah smiled politely and then looked around the room, trying to spot an empty chair.  
"Right... find a place to sit and welcome to the madness that is my class" Alaric said and put her file inside his bag.

Rebekah moved slowly along the tables and felt all the curious eyes on her, she heard the already mean comments from the popular group she assumed and sat on one of the empty chairs in the back.

A girl with straight long brown hair smiled hugely at her and it made her feel comfortable enough to smile honestly for the first time all day.

She took her book and looked for a pen frowning when she noticed she had none in her bag, damn it. How could she have forgotten something so simple?

A bright pink pen appeared before her eyes and she looked up, another smiling girl was leaning over her table.  
"You look like you could use a pen" the stunning girl with green eyes told her warmly.

"Thanks" Rebekah replied taking the pen.  
"I'm Bonnie, that's Elena" she said with her head pointing at the other smiling girl.

"I'm Rebekah" she said feeling a bit more at ease now.

"AH I see Miss Forbes has finally decided to grace us all with her presence" Alaric said loudly without taking his eyes from the board where he wrote some dates.

A blonde tall girl rolled her eyes and smiled at Bonnie and Elena; she sat next to Rebekah and dropped her brown bag on the table with a loud bang.  
"Whatever _Rick_" she said and Bonnie gave her a look.

She shrugged and looked at Rebekah "Who are you?"  
"New girl. Rebekah" Elena said and moved her chair closer to them.

"Groups of 4 please, I'll be assigning a date to each group and you will be doing research on everything relevant about that date" Alaric explained the classroom that became a bigger mess with moving chairs and tables.

Rebekah found herself naturally part of a group when Bonnie turned her chair and Elena joined them.

"I'm Caroline" the girl next to her said moving her bag to the floor, carelessly dropping it there, she folded her arms inspecting Rebekah carefully "So what's your story? Why are you moving into our wonderful town?"

"My brothers and I decided we needed a fresh start. My parents died last spring and it's just us now" Rebekah said opening her history book.  
Caroline looked at Elena and then at Rebekah again.

"I'm sorry to hear that" Bonnie said playing with the cell in her hands.  
"Oh it's ok. I got over it" Rebekah said casually.

Caroline raised her perfect eyebrow and chuckled "Ok then..."  
"Oh I didn't mean it like that... I miss... my parents. I just have three very supportive brothers that's all" Rebekah said quickly.

"I'm not judging. I'd get over it really fast if I lost my parents as well" Caroline said easily.  
"Care... don't say that" Elena said and shook her head.

Caroline gave her an annoyed look "Yeah, I'd miss terribly my absent mother and my gay with another family father"  
"You'd still miss them" Bonnie added typing a message on her cell.

Alaric came closer to the girls and handed them a paper with the date they were supposed to be working with, he rolled his eyes when they simply ignored him and resumed talking.  
These three would be the very death of his teaching career.

"Have you been to Mystic Falls before?" Elena asked Rebekah lazily resting her chin on her hand.  
"Once, a very long time ago..." Rebekah answered picking the paper Alaric had dropped there.

"Don't worry about the assignment, none of us actually take him serious" Bonnie said laughing and referring to Alaric that tried to explain something to a group near them.

"So you are like the popular mean girls?" Rebekah asked curious.  
Caroline laughed "Depends on the days. The mean part but not the popular one"

Elena smiled and nodded to the table where 4 cheerleaders sat "We used to belong there, with them. We were the cheerleaders queen bees once"  
"What happened?" Rebekah asked checking the posh group dressed in red uniforms.

Bonnie smiled and looked at her friends "Mystic Falls happened" she said in a somewhat nostalgic way.  
Rebekah squint but the girls were already packing their things as the bell rang.

Elena waved at her warmly "It was nice to meet you Rebekah, see you around"  
Rebekah sighed inwardly as the three girls left laughing and talking about some party.

She gathered her stuff and realized she still had the pink pen in her hand, she looked after the girls but she was left in the room with the teacher and just two other boys.  
She shrugged and put the pen away.

"Ummm Rebekah, are you coming to school alone? In the file it says you have a brother just a year older than you" Alaric asked her sitting on the edge of his table.

"Yes... Kol. My brothers are still settling in and he's helping with the move. He'll probably start within the next week" she said moving to the door.

"I see... are all of your brothers moving in to Mystic Falls?"  
Something about the way Alaric spoke caught Rebekah's attention and immediate suspicion "Yes. Where one goes, all follow" she said facing the teacher measuring him.

"I look forward into meeting them" he said with a hint of a smile.  
Rebekah nodded and left the classroom clutching her bag, she knew this feeling way too well.

She tried to find her way into the next classroom and pouted when she realized she was missing part of the school map.

She moved the piece of paper in her hand trying to find a way out of the hall and into the stairs but the stupid paper only had the first floor in it.

She really didn't want to ask the girls leaning against their lockers amused at her momentary panic.  
"Are you lost?"

A deep voice called and she turned to face a pair of deep blue eyes staring at her.  
"Yes..." she said shaken a bit.

The boy smiled and she raised her eyebrow a little unconsciously, this school was getting better by the second.  
"I'm Matt Donovan" he said reaching his hand out to her.

"Rebekah Mikaelson" she answered smiling.  
"Oh uau... Mikaelson. That's a heavy rare uncommon name" he said chuckling.

She played unconsciously with her braid "I know... it's old"  
Matt smiled and looked at the paper in her hand "So is Mrs Johnson, she forgets a lot of stuff, including that the school has two new floors since 1990"

Rebekah laughed and waved the paper "This is useless... can you tell me where 249 is? I have English now"  
Matt nodded "I'll take you. I have to meet Bonnie and she's upstairs in the cafeteria, another place that isn't on the map"

"Thank you" Rebekah said sighing loudly.  
She walked with Matt and they talked a bit about her sudden move to Mystic Falls while she found out he was the Football team Quarterback.

"Hi" Elena said when they reached the top of the stairs "I see someone is giving you the tour" She said walking with them.

"You already know her?" Matt asked.  
"We have History together" Rebekah answered smiling.

Elena smiled back and added "English as well. I was going to find you downstairs to show you where it was"  
"Is everyone else this nice around here?" Rebekah asked with a suspicious face.

"No one is as nice as Elena" Matt said and dodged a punching fist in his arm from Elena.  
"That is such a nasty thing to say. There are other nice people in town" she huffed.

Matt made a long pause on purpose and then shook his head "Not really"  
Elena rolled her eyes and walked to class followed by a smiling Rebekah.

* * *

"Do we really need such a big house?" Kol asked carrying yet another box inside.

"Niklaus says we do. The bigger the house the less chances we have of running into each other" Elijah said hanging the huge painting on the wall.

"Such warm and pleasant feelings come from bonding with the family" Kol replied with a smile.  
Elijah chuckled "This will be actually the first time we will all be living under the same roof. We are basically an enormous time bomb ready to go off"

Kol sat lazily on top of the boxes displayed on the floor "Come on Elijah, we'll end up killing each other. It will be fun"  
Elijah sighed "Who do you think will be the first one to break?"

"Bekah for sure. Free for the first time? Without anyone telling her what to do?" he rolled his eyes "I give her a week to go on a killing spree and annoy Nik enough to dagger her into sleep"

Elijah pursed his lips agreeing "You should try to get on his good side... Also I know there are still boxes outside and they aren't going to come inside by themselves. Are they Kol?" he asked with a look.

"I am not the family slave and why on Earth don't we compel people to do this? And why am I in charge of all the heavy work while all you do is hang his ridiculously expensive art?" Kol complained.

"I have good taste" Elijah simply replied and moved to the next room with a Van Gogh in his hand.  
Kol huffed and reluctantly went for the remaining boxes.

* * *

Rebekah sat alone in the cafeteria enjoying the first break in her long slow first day.  
It had been a while since she has done this, go to school and be around so many people.

All these kids with such energy and life.  
Blood screaming at her, pumping lively in their veins urging her to taste them all.

She took a deep breath and tried to focus on something else.  
She startled when Caroline sat in front of her.

"Hello" she said with a warm smile.

"Hi" Rebekah answered slowly.  
"How is the first day working out for you?" She asked drinking her soda from a straw.

Rebekah sighed "Long"

Caroline smiled "You need to get away"  
"I do?" the other blonde asked squinting.

"It's your first day and you won't be missing much anyway" she pulled a silly face and stood up "It's time you meet the only remotely cool place we have in town"

Rebekah followed her with a smile, this sounded actually good and she could use the change of scenario.

* * *

Caroline parked by the Grill and opened her arms "Ta-da, I present you, The Grill"  
Rebekah frowned at the sight of the rather small typical pub in front of her eyes.

"Look, I said it was _remotely _cool" Caroline said closing the door to her car.  
"I've been to worst places" Rebekah admitted and smiled at Caroline "Why are all of you being so nice to me?"

"Trust issues much?" Caroline shot back in response.  
"I'm very suspicious of people who are naturally nice to strangers" Rebekah smiled and folded her arms.

A tall handsome man appeared behind her and Caroline felt instantly uneasy.

"Hello Nik" Rebekah said with a smile.

"You called for me sister?" He said and stopped beside her.  
"Some of the people in this town have been strangely too nice to me" she said looking at him.

"That is never a good thing. It always means they are trying too hard" he said and looked at Caroline, lingering a little too long his gaze upon her.

Caroline sighed, she knew she was busted.  
Always the worst liar "Ok... we know what and who you are"

"You don't say... well allow me to introduce myself anyway. I'm Klaus" he said with a smile that only made Caroline the more uncomfortable.

"I know..." she said between her teeth, folding her arms visibly standing her own.  
Klaus couldn't help the chuckle that left his mouth "My reputation precedes me I see"

Caroline scorned smiling "Please... not even close. I just happen to have a very obsessed teacher. Alaric isn't only obsessed with the supernatural, he is obsessed with everything regarding this town's history. And if there's one thing this town has, is a lot of history" Caroline explained with a shrug at the end.

Rebekah eyed Caroline trying to understand if she was a friend or a foe at this point "What do you know exactly?"

Caroline noticed the way Rebekah was slowly on edge and prepared for it but she didn't expect the strength in the girl as she flashed and pinned her to the car next to her.

Caroline tried to release the grip on her throat but Rebekah's hand was crushing her, Caroline's fangs came out and her eyes turned red shoving Rebekah away from her, snarling at her.

"You are a vampire" Rebekah asked surprised.  
"Yes" Caroline said retracting her fangs "And I know that everyone in your family is one as well. The Originals"

"Impressive" Rebekah hissed annoyed.  
"Alaric speaks of your family like you are the forthcoming salvation or something. He has waited for all of you" Caroline said fixing her shirt.

"I don't understand..." Rebekah shook her head and looked at Klaus.  
Caroline let out a sigh "Elena? The girl with the long straight hair? She's a doppelganger and we've protected her from someone who wants her dead. Someone that wants all of us dead"

"What does that have to do with _us_?" Klaus asked confused as well.  
"I don't know but Alaric thinks that it's all connected to your family somehow" she told him, meeting his eyes and lingering in them more than necessary.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" Rebekah asked meeting Caroline's eyes with disappointment for the early fake friendship.

"Something along those lines. We've been able to protect her so far, none of us are willing to take any chances here ..." Caroline answered.

Klaus smiled at the girl's confidence and determination.  
This was... refreshing.

"Tell me Caroline... why did you bring me here?" Rebekah asked still stinging from everything.

"I could use a drink and honestly so did you. I saw how you were trying to keep it all together" she was honest.

Again Klaus couldn't help to smile, the girl had spunk and courage to be that honest with them.  
By now any other vampire would be begging for its life but she seemed not even remotely worried about it.  
Even knowing who they were and how powerful they were.

Rebekah eyed Caroline still indecisive "Are the rest of you vampires as well?"

"No. Bonnie is a witch and Matt is just human" Caroline answered quietly "Look Rebekah, I was just trying to figure you out, looking out for my friends. We don't have actual family so we became one. I'm just looking out for my family, I'm sure you can relate to that" she said and her gaze unwillingly went to the dark blonde haired man who locked his piercing blue eyes with hers.

She couldn't help the way her eyes took in his perfect stubble, her gaze lowered to his lips and Caroline had to look away.

When Alaric mentioned the Originals and how they were the very first vampires she expected them to be old and creepy like the desiccated version of Bram Stoker's Dracula not like a frigging Calvin Klein model with raspberry lips.

"All I wanted was a normal life for a change. We waited so long for this..." Rebekah said shaking her head miserably.  
Klaus looked at her and felt the urge to comfort his sister.

"I'll stay out of your way if you stay out of mine" Caroline said.  
Both Mikaelsons looked at her.

She nodded letting them know how serious she was. "As long as you don't come after any of my friends"  
"I won't kill you if you don't try to kill anyone in my family" Klaus said with a smile.

Caroline smiled as well and the two of them were able to reach some sort of first compromise.

"It was nice meeting you Klaus. I'm Caroline by the way and as Miss Mystic Falls I welcome you and your family to the town. I hope you enjoy your stay in our beautiful little cosy forsaken town" she said with a huge smile and shook her soft curls walking inside the Grill.

Klaus licked his lips smiling and watched as Caroline swing her hips, ok, she had an attitude and she was drop dead gorgeous.  
Mystic Falls seemed awfully attractive suddenly.

"Need a bib Nik?" Rebekah asked with a pose and a much raised eyebrow.  
Klaus smirked "I like her; it will be an awful shame if I have to kill her"

Rebekah rolled her eyes and walked to his car upset.

* * *

She slumped on the couch after a very frustrated day and was happy to see her other older brother smiling at her.  
"How was your first day?" Elijah asked sitting closely to her.

"It was alright... people are nice and mean. And fake" she added pouting.  
"Usually small town people are" he replied.

"They know who we are" She said looking at the huge mantel still unfinished.  
"Do we need to worry?" he asked calmly.

Rebekah sighed "I really want to stay here for a little while so I'll try to find out more. Nik isn't worried at all. He thinks they are just a bunch of scared children"

Elijah nodded silently "Maybe they are"  
"Or maybe he just wants to stay here as well. To stop running" she said with a sad smile "Will we ever be able to just settle down without looking behind our shoulder Elijah?"

"I wish I had the right answer to that sister. I wish I could assure you as much as you need me to, but that wouldn't be me" he said with a warm smile.

"I know... but can you lie to me? Just this once?" she asked hoping he would.  
But Elijah was too noble for that, he took her hand and kissed the back of it, making her giggle.

He stood up and left the room, she grabbed a pillow and lay on the couch wishing to go back to the early part of her day, when everyone was nice to her and she felt happy.

She clutched the pink pen in her hand and wished for that normal life that haunted her.

* * *

**Soundtrack**:

Can't find my way home - _Blind Faith_


	2. Welcome to Mystic Falls

Rebekah dropped her books loudly on the table; Caroline looked up to the girl standing next to her and raised her eyebrow.  
"Good morning Caroline" Rebekah said with a somewhat fake smile.

Caroline rolled her eyes and grunted when the other blonde sat down next to her.  
She looked at Rebekah not a bit amused; Rebekah smiled wider and opened her book.

"Good morning..." Bonnie said as she arrived to her seat.  
Elena followed them and watched Caroline and Rebekah a little uneasy; she smiled weakly at her and sat down placing her hair behind her ear.

"We'll be continuing with the group work today so get settled in" Alaric said getting ready to start his class.

The girls moved unsure of how to act because surprisingly, Rebekah had returned to school and smiled at them.  
It was plain scary and they felt it in their bones.

Caroline made small doodles in her notebook and Elena looked at Bonnie.  
Rebekah waited for one of them to talk but when 20 very uncomfortable minutes went by in silence, she folded her arms and leaned back on her chair.

"Where did the easy chattering go? Now that the cat is out of the bag you don't feel the need to be so nice to me any more?" she asked them.

Elena looked down on the table and fixed her hair again while Bonnie looked at the paper in her hand.

Caroline looked up to Rebekah sizing the girl, she leaned over her book and rested her arms there "I wasn't expecting you to even come back to school, let alone talk to us again" Caroline simply explained.

"I want to go to school and fake or not you are the only ones I know in town, I'm new here" she stated as naturally as the other blonde.

"Weren't you like born along with the town?" Caroline gave her a look.

"We left a very long time ago and never came back" She said looking at Caroline, searching for some sort of honesty there to hang on to.  
"Why did you come back now?" Caroline asked.

"Aren't you all highly informed about us?" Rebekah asked tilting her head smiling.  
"Alaric only told us that there were rumours you were returning to town and that you are some sort of Royal Family among the vampires or something" Caroline explained.

"We've wished to return for quite some time now, mostly me but it's only been possible now" she said and Caroline didn't miss the sad tone on her voice but also the hope in it.  
"You really want this..." she frowned.

"This is our home... do you have a problem with that?" she asked.  
Caroline shook her head "Not really, you have every right to it. I told you yesterday, my only concern here is Elena "

Rebekah looked at Elena that sighed.  
"I wish everyone would stop protecting me so much" she said feeling like it was too much sometimes.

"You don't like the attention?" she asked Elena.  
"Being constantly guarded and protected... everyone is constantly under danger because of me... I hate it" she said looking outside the window.

"I can relate to it somehow; I'm the only girl in the family. With three very overbearing and protective brothers" Rebekah said with a loud sigh.  
"I have a brother, younger than me. Jeremy, he's in school as well" Elena said.

"My younger brother Kol starts tomorrow" Rebekah added.  
"And... Klaus? He is your oldest brother?" Caroline asked trying to sound not that much interested.

"He acts like it but Elijah is the oldest. Do you have any siblings Caroline?" she asked smiling easily now.  
"God now, it's just my mom and I" Caroline said "And believe me, that's enough already"

Rebekah laughed and looked at Bonnie.  
"It's just me..." she said with a sad smile.

Rebekah frowned but felt good, for the first time since they arrived she felt at ease.  
The girls kept talking totally ignoring the assignment and Rebekah even laughed forgetting the way they had tried to deceive her just the day before.

* * *

Caroline laughed when Bonnie tried to explain Rebekah how she had discovered she was a witch and how dealing with that had changed everyone's life.

She looked at the door and noticed the tall man who came inside, she recognized him from the day before and lingered her eyes in his direction.

Alaric came closer to him and the bell rang, the huge commotion of the class leaving the room laughing and talking was annoying and she was left behind with her friends.

"I'm Klaus, Rebekah's older brother" the man said and reached out his hand to Alaric.

The teacher took it a little on the defence so Caroline noticed, she also noticed the way Rebekah smiled at him and the way she brushed his arm slightly.  
Caroline acknowledged all the connection between them instantly, one that surely ran deep.

The other thing she didn't miss was the power that seemed to surround him, it was impossible to not be taken by it and she quickly looked away when he met her eyes, he had amazing blue eyes that held so much depth in them, surely they had seen so many things that she felt curious about.  
She smiled to herself and left the room.

Bonnie gasped and joined her on the hall "Did you see Rebekah's brother? Lord all mighty"  
Caroline shook her curls; yeah he was really good-looking for a mass murderer with the reputation of killing whoever crossed him or his siblings.

* * *

"I'm Alaric Saltzman"  
Klaus smiled and looked around the rather small room "So I've heard. I did a little research myself and it seems that you are some sorts of a vampire hunter?" he said sitting in one of the empty chairs, he smiled amused with the image.

Alaric moved and closed the door making sure no one was left in the hall, he sat on his table and faced Klaus "Straight to the point huh?"  
"I don't enjoy wasting time, it annoys me" he said with a shrug.

"Do we have to worry about you and your family?" Alaric asked being direct as requested.  
Klaus opened his arms "As long as I don't find a stake on my chest or in any of my siblings..."

Alaric nodded "We have bigger things to worry about..."  
"The girl called Caroline... she said that you were waiting for us?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

Alaric removed his cell and opened a file; he moved and handed it to Klaus "These are drawings we found in one of the caves under Mystic Falls, a maze of tunnels that leads to one of the main caves... where vampires can't go in"

Klaus looked up from the cell in his hand, he recognized the drawings with his name carved by a blade.  
He still remembered as if it was today Rebekah imprinting their names inside the cave, just a few days before they were turned.

Alaric clenched his jaw at the intensity in Klaus' face "That's you and your family right?"  
Klaus handed him the cell "Yes"

Alaric felt the tension in Klaus' voice but everything in his face was leading him into a different direction "I found other names there and a bunch of drawings that tell some sort of tale. Something about how you were turned into vampires and everything"

Klaus raised his eyes and looked at Alaric, he pressed his teeth together and flashed over grabbing Alaric by his throat "Cut the story short, what do you want with us?"  
Alaric tried to free himself from the hold but it was hard "I need your help" he managed to say.

Klaus smiled amused "My help? And why would I even consider that?"  
Alaric coughed when Klaus let him go "There is a name in there I don't recognize. No one knows who he is"

Klaus squinted.

"Mikael" Alaric said rubbing his throat.  
Klaus clenched his teeth "I don't know who that is"

Alaric shook his head "Are you sure about that?"  
Klaus flashed and pinned Alaric to the wall "A doppelganger is usually used as a device to a very powerful spell; you seem to have one on your hands and a lot of information about my family. I just don't see the connection between all of it"

Alaric fought for air so Klaus released his grip a little.

"Last summer someone sent new-born vampires to this town, after Elena and her entire family. They succeeded in killing her parents, her aunt barely survived. They took down Bonnie's grandmother that was a very powerful witch and Caroline was caught in the middle of it all, she ended up turning into a vampire as collateral damage. There was a vampire in town at the time, Rose. She was turned by one of you? She helped us and we managed to kill them off but they were just the beginning, they sent werewolves next and she didn't make it, she died with a werewolf bite. They didn't leave and this town is now divided into a nasty power struggle, in one side there are werewolves and then there are vampires that are losing the fight... and the one behind all this is someone called Mikael. My bet is that he is the name I found in that cave"

Klaus licked his lips and stepped back, giving Alaric time to breathe.  
Alaric took in a deep breath "The cave has something else..." he raised his hands moving them slowly to his bag; he eyed Klaus that was ready to jump at him at any second now.

He slowly took a few pictures and laid them down on the table, he was shaking as he pointed to them; they also told a story.

"There is a man, a creature that is both the sun and the moon" he pointed to the first drawing, a wolf with fangs; then the second, the wolf surrounded by wolves and men with fangs "He will bring two worlds together and..." he said pointing at the third one "Destroy evil"

Klaus looked at the third picture and saw the wolf with fangs with a spear through the man with dark shadow surrounding him.

"You are a hybrid, both vampire and werewolf and you are the only one capable of bringing this town together and killing Mikael" Alaric said looking at Klaus.

Klaus smiled darkly "You have the wrong man"  
"No I don't and I need your help, we are losing this battle. I have a bunch of kids here fighting werewolves and vampires and whatever they keep throwing at us and I honestly can't stand to keep watching them drop like flies around me" Alaric said desperate.

"Why would they want a doppelganger?" Klaus asked trying to connect the blank parts in his head.

"She's... the device to break the curse" Alaric said noticing the puzzled look on Klaus' face "Rose caught one of the new-born vampires and he said that Mikael is trapped inside a coffin for eternity, forever dissecting, unless someone breaks the spell that was cast to keep him in there. Using the doppelganger and something else that we don't know yet. The vampire didn't know anything else, only that there is such a spell. He was meant to take her with him"

Klaus looked at the floor then smiled his twisted smile "Nice story for a history teacher. But like I said, you have the wrong man" he said and simply left.

Alaric sighed loudly shaking his head and reaching for his cell.  
A warm voice answered from the other side.

"Jenna? He won't help us..." he said pushing the pictures to the floor.

* * *

Kol was happy to be opening the last box, finally.  
He had carried boxes for the last two days and was getting really tired of this.

He removed the weird piece of bronze from inside and made a face, he couldn't decide if he was more upset about the ugly thing Nik insisted on calling _Art _or the fact that he had been reduced to unpacking his brother's expensive taste in it.

He spotted Klaus walking in hastily "This is definitely ugly. No matter how long I've been away, it still looks ugly, this _new art _ thing"  
Klaus pulled an annoyed smile "Well you can put it back in, we won't be staying here"

"Come again?" Kol asked serious.  
"We are leaving as soon as we pack and I find Rebekah. She wasn't at school when I left" Klaus said trying her cell yet again.

He heard a noise and fumed when he saw it lying on the table of the living room, he shook his head.

"We can't leave. I just spent two days unpacking by myself and I haven't even stepped outside this house, I haven't even seen the bloody town yet" Kol said dropping the stupid ugly piece on the box, it made a loud noise as it hit the floor.

Klaus scolded him furiously "Where is Rebekah?"  
"At some place called The Grill I think... she mentioned something about it" Kol huffed.

Klaus turned to leave and Kol followed him, if they were going to leave he would at least check the women in this small town before they did so.

* * *

"She was Miss Mystic Falls, imagine _that_" Matt said drinking from his beer bottle.

Caroline giggled and made her perfect Miss Pageant wave "I still have it" she said waving around politely and slowly.

Everyone started laughing and Rebekah smiled happily, she was just eating this moment up, she was... _hanging out, _as they called it and she loved every second of it.

Matt smiled at her and she returned the smile feeling a little warmer inside, God he was hot.  
She took a sip from her beer but grimaced when she noticed it was already empty.

"You need a replacement" Caroline said and looked around the group, Bonnie smiled nodding and Elena declined, she was good for now.

"Ok, my turn to go for more booze" she said smiling and left the small group talking by the corner of the rather full pub tonight.

She manoeuvred through the crowd, smiling and hugging some of the girls that talked to her.  
She sighed when she finally made it out of the improvised dance floor and saw the bar area.  
A girl touched her shoulder and she looked behind.

"I already have the dress for the Welcome Party, you have to come over and check it out" the girl shouted through the music.

"Tomorrow after school I'll try to go by your house, ok Veronica?" she said smiling and the girl gave her two thumbs up.

She turned fast and bumped into someone who was passing by; she had totally missed it and apologized immediately.

The girl with blue eyes faced her mad, Caroline opened her mouth.  
Great.

"Jules... I'm sorry; I was talking to someone and I just... turned and..." she tried to apologize.  
The girl looked down on her shirt and tried to tame her anger as half her beer lived there now.

Caroline tensed in her place when two other boys joined Jules, being one of them her boyfriend, the always annoying Brady.  
"I find it amazing how everywhere you go, things turn bad" He threw mad at her.

"It was an accident ok? You don't need to cause a scene over this" Caroline said raising her hand calmly.  
"She's right... just... drop it Brady. I'll go home and change quickly" Jules said.

"You shouldn't have, we were just having fun until _she _came along" He looked at Caroline now "This isn't your turf. You shouldn't be here in the first place" Brady pressed on.

Caroline gasped smiling "Excuse me but I was born in this _turf. _You are the one that doesn't belong in this town"

Brady took a step closer to her and was inches away from her face, Caroline didn't move an inch "How does it feel being the only vampire left in town Caroline? Do you stay awake at night praying that the full moon doesn't come? Thinking that when it does it might be your last one?" he taunted her.

Caroline pressed her lips together mad "I was going to the bar, you are in my way" she hissed "So... _move_"

Brady smiled and felt Jules pulling his arm, he reluctantly backed down, Caroline moved past him and felt his eyes fulminating her.  
She didn't stop until she reached the bar.

"Can I have a Vodka shot? And 4 beers" she asked.  
She needed the strong drink.

"That was impressive I must admit" a deep calm voice said beside her.

She turned and realized Klaus was sitting at the bar having a Scotch.  
She shook her head; he probably had heard everything from here.

"I'm used to it. Dealing with morons is my day-to-day life" she said and looked at the Vodka when it was placed in front of her.  
She took it all in one take without flinching.

"You showed no fear surrounded by werewolves. As I said, impressive for a baby vampire like yourself" he said smiling and drinking, he never looked at her.

Caroline shook her head and took the beer bottles into her hands "I'm the last one standing, if I have to go down, I'll go down with style" she said tilting her head smiling and left.

Klaus smiled wider and finished his drink.  
Spunk and beauty, killer combination.

* * *

Caroline spent the next hour glancing over to the busy bar, she for some reason couldn't keep her eyes from him, he never once moved, he kept his back on everyone, quietly drinking and yet she was sure he was aware of everything happening around him.

She couldn't help to feel drawn to it, to him.  
She drank her beer and tried to focus on the silly topics going around but still her eyes would wander from time to time.

She felt a tingle of sadness when she realized he was gone, her blue eyes scattered the place but he was nowhere to be found.  
Caroline finished her beer and then excused herself.

She felt tired and the next day was a school day, even if her mother was oblivious to everything she had no wish to explain why she was arriving at 1am in the middle of school week.

Caroline took in the cold of the night rubbing her hands, such a silly thing to do since she was a vampire but still the motion always brought her some comfort.

She took her car keys out and walked slowly to her car, she was about to unlock it when someone pushed her hard against it, her head hitting the window.

She opened her eyes from the surprising attack and snarled when he turned her around pinning her to the car.  
"Brady..." she hissed.

"Maybe I won't wait for the full moon after all. Maybe I just finish you off in this parking lot and leave the carcase for your mother to find in the morning" he said and used a dart that had been dipped into Vervain sticking it into her neck.

Caroline yelled in pain and tried to get it out but Brady used another one on her hand, she shook her hand in pain and clenched her teeth pulling it out, the throbbing pain through her bloodstream was even worse.

She felt her fangs come out and flashed to Brady, she shoved him against another car causing the alarm system to go off.

When he got up he smiled and took another dart from inside his jacket pocket, Caroline faced him waiting for him but a vision of a broad back cut her sight away from Brady.  
She shook her head and then recognized it as she recognized the deep accented voice.

"I think you had enough fun for one night mate"

Caroline moved enough so she could see Brady's reaction, the cocky werewolf eyed Klaus surprised and suspicious.  
"Who are you?" he asked.

"Caroline isn't the only vampire in town any more. I'd be careful if I were you from now on; you never know when you might tick off the wrong vampire" Klaus said with a taunting smile.

Brady smiled smugly "I'll keep that in mind then..."

Klaus watched as the cocky werewolf left and turned to Caroline, she was removing the dart in her neck suppressing a scream, she closed her eyes collecting herself and he had to smile again.

She was brave and he found that really interesting and amusing even, for such a bubbly fun person, she was actually brave and strong even, such an odd personality.

He came closer to her and cupped her chin, Caroline felt instantly uneasy with the touch and sudden proximity, his strong scent hit her and she felt a bit dizzy actually.  
She blamed the dart.

"You'll be alright" he stated as he inspected her neck and then pulled away.  
"Of course I will. It was just a random Brady attack" she said picking her car keys from the ground.

"Are they frequent then?" he asked not really sure why he was even remotely interested in this.

"Werewolves want every vampire dead because they hate what we are and they want to take over this town and turn it into a huge example, a message to all vampires out there. So far? The message is loud and clear. If you are really planning on staying here, don't. Leave Mystic Falls and take your family with you. This town is doomed and everyone that stays here ends up dead" she said and got inside her car, sighing before starting the engine.

Klaus watched as she left quietly, she was far too young to be this miserable, because under all that happy fun persona was a very lonely, scared and sad little girl and Klaus felt something he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a very long time, he related to it and to her.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Can't fight it - _Oh mercy_


	3. Settling in

"You can't possibly be serious" Rebekah said sitting down heavily in shock on their couch.

Klaus rolled his eyes "We can't stay here"  
"We just arrived..." she said still not fully over the bomb he dropped as soon as she walked inside their new-found home.

"There are too many things going on and it wouldn't be safe for us to stay here" he simply said.  
"You always say that. Every town we go you always say we will be there for a while and then as soon as I make one friend, you demand that we pack and leave" she complained pouting.

"Rebekah please, this isn't about us... we'll talk about this later" he said trying to tame the building tantrum he knew was coming.  
"Later when we are running across the world again? You said this would be the last time Nik, you promised me" she used her most powerful weapon on him.

"You will not guilt me out of this Rebekah" he pressed his lips tight.  
"You can bet I will" she said squinting "You promised me we would stay here for at least a few years this time"

"Rebekah..." he said clutching his jaw.  
"I won't leave" she crossed her arms mad.

Klaus licked his lips on the verge of snapping; Kol and Elijah came inside the room and watched the scene from a safe distance.

"I said that we are leaving so I suggest you pack fast because I will carry you out that door in one hour" he said letting his first anger outburst out.

Rebekah scolded him and breathed hard "Maybe you didn't listen to me, I am not going anywhere"  
"I'll drag you out that door and across town if I have to" he said in that eerie voice of his.

Rebekah smiled "You can't make me"  
Klaus smiled malevolent "Wouldn't be the first time Rebekah"

She smiled wider and leaned over "Nik... you won't dagger me and put me into a box. It's not just the two of us any more. Elijah and Kol wouldn't let you do it"

"Ummm excuse me?" Kol said raising his arm in the air "Don't drag me into the middle of one of your epic battles. I'd be highly appreciated"

Rebekah turned her head mad at him "Do _you _want to leave?"  
"Well... in all honesty I enjoyed the town's pub... they have nice women. I was rejected at least 6 times. Imagine the possibilities, the challenge it would be to stick around a little longer" Kol said amused and sat next to Rebekah.

She smiled victoriously at Klaus.  
"We are leaving in one hour" Klaus said giving no signs on backing down in his determination.

Rebekah slumped her shoulders and looked at Elijah, she urged him to do or say something with her eyes.  
Elijah calmly raised his hands trying to reason with Klaus, almost an impossible task he knew but still.

"Why are you eager to leave Niklaus? What happened?" he asked calmly.  
"I don't have to explain myself" Klaus snapped.

"Right... what happened? Until yesterday you were keen on trying to stay here" Rebekah asked suspicious.  
Klaus shook his head "I said we are leaving and that is all you need to know"

"Niklaus... if Rebekah doesn't want to leave, she can always stay" Elijah said.  
Everyone looked at him and Klaus fumed, his lips parting in anger "I won't leave without her. That's absurd"

Rebekah chewed on her lip, the idea itself was preposterous, she had never been away from Klaus, it had always been the two of them, minus the time she had spent inside that coffin but still this was something she wasn't ready to do.

She got up and came closer to Klaus "Nik, please"  
He looked at her hurt, she saw that sting of betrayal in his eyes and felt bad about it immediately. This was the worst any of them could do to him.

Klaus pulled himself and his emotions back together "Then you can all stay here. I'm leaving alone"  
Rebekah gasped as he walked away "Nik wait... NIK" she called after him.

Klaus stopped by the door and she felt the turmoil inside of him from where she stood.  
"Moving into Mystic Falls was supposed to be our attempt to be a family. An actual family and you walking out on us doesn't make any sense Nik" she said.

Klaus faced her mad "I am asking you to leave with me. All of you, we can all go be a family somewhere else; it doesn't have to be on this town"

"This is where it all started and if we ever are going to make anything out of this, it has to be in here. It's what you wanted Nik, a family" she tried to get through to him.

Klaus took a deep breath and looked down on the floor "There's... a war going on in this town" he faced his siblings coming clean "Werewolves are trying to claim the town as their own, they are attacking vampires openly. They don't fear anyone and we shouldn't be stepping into this war"

Kol got up and addressed Klaus "Why are you so afraid of a bunch of wolves?"  
Klaus sighed deeply "I'm not afraid of them Kol. I just don't have the habit of taking on battles that aren't my own, it's what kept me alive and all of you if I may add"

"I get that Niklaus but we don't have to get into the middle of anything here" Elijah said.  
Klaus licked his lips apprehensively "I heard them talking last night and they already act like this is their town and their loath for vampires is something we won't be able to control at all"

"So?" Rebekah asked clueless.  
"So we should leave now because I can't protect all of you" He pressed on.

"I couldn't care less about silly werewolves and I just made friends and I don't want to leave" she begged him.  
"Friends? Two girls you just met yesterday? Don't be silly love" Klaus dismissed it.

"They are three of them and Matt" she mumbled.  
"Matt? You already have a boy toy?" Kol asked surprised.

"He's not a boy toy Kol, he's the Quarterback" she corrected him.  
Kol gave her a look "We should leave, she's already crushing on some human"

Rebekah threw her hands in the air.  
Klaus rubbed the back of his neck; this was the wonderful part he didn't miss.  
His siblings getting on his nerves, sometimes he missed the quiet loneliness way too much.

As usual Elijah was the voice of reason "Perhaps we can reach some sort of compromise. Something that can suit everyone's wishes. A trial time"  
"One month" Rebekah said excitedly.

Klaus gave her a look by raising his eyes to her.  
She pouted "Two weeks?"

Klaus sighed looking away from her.  
"One week and if things get out of hand by then we all leave" Elijah said.

Klaus rolled his eyes and left the room but Rebekah smiled happily, they had won this battle and she had bought herself a week to change Klaus' mind about staying permanently.

* * *

"I really don't know what I was thinking" Alaric said and took his hands to his face.  
Jenna smiled and sat beside him on the couch "Rick... you had to try"

He looked at her "I should have known I would never stand a chance against an Original, let alone getting him on our side"

She took his hand into hers "At least you tried and none of us are blind to that Rick, we will never hold anything against you. I know you must know that"

Alaric smiled and leaned over kissing her on the lips, she stroked his face gently "We'll find a way out of this"  
He was going to answer her but the front door went open and Elena came in happily smiling "Good night beautiful people. Am I interrupting?" she said resting her elbows on the couch looking at them.

Jenna smiled "No and how was your night? Rather long no?"  
Elena smiled blushing "Well... we were showing the Grill to Rebekah and surprisingly? She's actually ok and fun to talk to"

"You were at the Grill with Rebekah?" Alaric asked looking at Jenna.  
"Umhum" Elena nodded.

"And... how did it go?" Alaric asked.  
"Like any typical gathering of girls of our age" she paused for a second "Well... I don't really know her real age but you get the idea..." Elena said and yawned "Ok, I really need to move upstairs and go to bed. See you tomorrow"

Jenna looked at Alaric and whispered "Could we bring Rebekah to our side?"  
"I don't know..." he replied honestly.

* * *

Bonnie closed the door to her locker in a numb state; she definitely had too little sleep last night and without looking bumped into someone.

"Sorry..." she mumbled and looked up.  
A pair of hazel eyes caught her full attention.

The boy smiled and she immediately woke up "You can bump into me any time you wish darling" he said.  
She didn't miss the accent and smiled "You are new in school right?"

"Kol Mikaelson" he said smiling smugly.  
"Oh" she let out, Jesus who the hell were the parents to these Mikaelson brothers?  
The Original versions of Brad and Angelina?

"I'm Bonnie... I met your sister Rebekah already" She added.  
"You must be one of the girls that were with her at the Pub. I think I saw you there last night" he said easily.

Bonnie shook her head, God, he was so hot "Yes, I was there, until really late and now I'm just struggling to stay awake"  
Kol smiled warmly at her and she felt her knees wobbly "I have French now in 109, can you show me the way?"

Bonnie nodded and turned, she pointed to the door next to the lockers "Right in there"  
"Merci" he said openly in a flirting tone.

"Okay..." she mumbled feeling stupid heat come over her "I have... something else, down there. I mean... upstairs" she said and felt her cheeks burn "I have a different class in a different floor"

Kol chuckled not missing her slip and walked away "See you around Bonnie"  
"Humhum" she let out and then sighed "Jesus Bonnie, seriously?" she mumbled to herself and left towards her class.

* * *

Caroline parked her car at school and sighed, another wonderful day at school.

"Maybe I should just drive away. I have money saved; I could just drive until I ran out of gas. And then walk, or run. I could be like Forrest Gump and just run across the country. Get away from this place and never get back" she rested her head against the car seat and closed her eyes.

"Get your crap together Caroline and just walk out of this car, put your best smile on and get through this day" she told herself and opened her eyes, she grabbed her bag and left the safety of her car.

She shook her soft curls into place and smiled at some random girls.  
Game face on.

"Hey Caroline" Jules called after her and she grimaced already.  
"What do you want Jules?" she asked without stopping.

"I'm sorry about Brady... he said he got into a fight with you" she said trying to catch up to Caroline.  
Caroline chuckled "Got into a fight? He attacked me on the parking lot. Torturing darts and everything"

"I know that he was wrong, this isn't what we want; you know that" Jules said and stopped Caroline by standing in front of her.

She faced Jules "I know? All I know is that I was tossed into this without a choice ok? He hates me, I get it, but I haven't done anything to him"

"I know but Brady is impulsive, reckless and I don't agree with everything he does and I know that he is hard to control but I am trying... I love him Caroline... if... Mason finds out about the random attacks..." she said worried.

Caroline shook her head and noticed the black car arriving, she saw Rebekah leave the car and hoped to catch a glance at whoever was driving but Rebekah closed the door before she had a chance.

"I won't tell him but tell Brady to back off" she told Jules.  
"Thank you" Jules said and walked away.

"Hey" Rebekah said with a smile.  
"Hey" Caroline answered in a totally different mood.

Rebekah frowned "What happened?"  
Caroline licked her bottom lip slowly "Did your brother say anything about last night?"

"What brother? About what?" the other blonde asked intrigued.  
"Klaus was in the parking lot and he kind of... helped me in a sticky situation"

Rebekah pulled her perfect eyebrows together "My brother Niklaus helped you? Why?"  
Caroline shook her head "What do you mean?"

"Nik doesn't help anyone. At least without a really strong reason behind it" Rebekah explained.

Caroline was silent and thought about it, what possible reason could he have to help her?  
Rebekah smiled and tilted her head, maybe she just unintentionally found her ticket to stay in Mystic Falls.

* * *

"This is stupid, really" Bonnie snapped at her friend.  
Caroline gave her a look "I know but she asked me nicely and she loves the jerk, what was I supposed to do?"

"Tell Mason about it" she opened her arms in the air.  
Caroline threw her soft curls behind her back "There's no need to make things worse"

Bonnie shook her head upset and both friends walked inside The Grill, Matt waved at them and they came closer to Rebekah that sat in a stool alongside Elena.  
Caroline noticed the man drinking closely to them and she recognized his broad back immediately.

"Hey girls, what can I get you? Matt asked cleaning the counter.  
"Some better judgement for Caroline" Bonnie said stopping by Elena's side.

Caroline rolled her eyes and leaned over the counter, her back to it.  
"Why?" Elena asked drinking from her water.

"Jules asked Caroline to say nothing about Brady almost killing her in the parking lot last night" Bonnie explained.  
"What? Why didn't you say anything to us? Or called me?" Matt asked appalled.

Caroline gave him a look "She's exaggerating. It wasn't anything like that. He just… came to talk to me and things got a little out of hand" she said and glanced over to Klaus that drank completely unaffected by his surroundings.

"Fine, then tell Mason about the _talk. _We had a deal, they leave you alone and we leave them alone. That was the deal, if Brady is stupid enough to come after you, his Alpha should know about it and deal with him personally when he gets back" Bonnie said raging mad now.

Caroline turned and rested her elbows on the counter "Can we just move on? I told Jules I wasn't going to say anything so just drop it Bonnie"  
Bonnie shook her head even more upset but didn't insist on it any more.

Rebekah watched the girls and the mood and softly asked "So… who's Brady?"  
Caroline laughed and made circles on the counter with her finger "The town's moron"

"Sounds like it. What's stopping you from teaching him a lesson?" She asked tilting her head curious.  
Caroline threw her hand in the air "After they killed Rose; we made a deal with the Alpha, Mason Lockwood, they would stop coming at us and we would behave"

"Neither of you seem the kind to _behave_" she said looking around the small tight group.  
"We didn't have a choice…" Caroline said and Rebekah spotted the sad tone to her voice.

"I feel like I stepped into an entire new world…" Rebekah said sipping from her drink.  
Bonnie smiled and looked at the door enjoying the view as Kol came in with another dashing man.

"You must meet my brothers" Rebekah said excited and dropped her drink.  
"Good afternoon ladies" the tall, dark-haired man said.

Bonnie raised her eyebrow fighting a nervous giggle; she looked at Caroline that seemed somewhere else, gazing discretely to the other brother drinking quietly at the bar.

"This is Caroline, Bonnie, Elena and Matt in the back" Rebekah said smiling.  
She pointed at her two smiling brothers "Kol and Elijah"

Elena shared a look with Bonnie.  
Seriously? They all looked like models, this couldn't be normal.

"How is it to be back in Mystic Falls after all this time?" Elena asked warmly.  
"It has been a while and it is different but it still feels like home" Elijah answered in his very gentleman way.

"I can't imagine how the town was so long ago" Elena said getting lost in daydream.  
"This very location was the town's market actually" Elijah said with a hand gesture.

"Really? You mean we are standing in the same place where people exchanged food and animals with really long dresses?" Elena excitedly asked.  
"Exactly" Elijah answered with a smile and placed his hand inside his really expensive suit pocket.

"At least we aren't standing on some graveyard or something like that" Caroline said resting against the counter again.  
"Caroline" Elena rolled her eyes laughing.

She shrugged smiling "Just saying"  
"Never mind her, I'd personally love to know more about my town" Elena said "And I'm not even the town's representative"

Caroline giggled amused at the hint towards her.

"There is a lot of history in this town" Elijah carried on his conversation with Elena.  
They talked about the town and Elijah answered politely to all of Elena's curious questions.

Kol moved to the pool table with Bonnie, Caroline and Rebekah.  
They spent most of the hour trying to teach Rebekah how to play pool and laughed every time she said the game was silly and pointless.

* * *

"Hey Matt, can I have some of those delicious curly fries?" Caroline asked with her best smile.  
Matt laughed "Curly fries at this hour Caroline?"

She pouted "There are no time limits to eat fries Matt, especially curly ones"  
"Hungry much Caroline?" Matt chuckled.

"I'm always hungry Matty" She said giggling.

"Ain't that good to know"  
Caroline became serious instantly as she heard the annoying voice of Brady.

She turned to face him and forced a smile "Back already for round two?"

He smirked "This is such a nice place to hang out when you aren't around. The air gets lighter and everything is just better"  
"Then I suggest you leave because I'm not going anywhere soon" She folded her arms.

"You may have this stupid truce with Mason but accidents happen blondie and I sure as hell wouldn't mind causing one to the last thorn on my shoe" he said narrowing his eyes.  
Caroline smiled cutely "Does your girlfriend know about your crush on me Brady? It's getting a little out of hand"

Brady clasped his lips and took a step forward, Caroline didn't budge "I just have this annoying urge to exterminate you and if it wasn't for the leverage you seem to have over Mason I would have sent you to hell already"

Caroline tapped her lips with her finger "Ummm Brady? I'm just wondering, what happens when you go against your Alpha? Do you get send to a special dog house?"

She smiled and motion to leave but he grabbed her arm "You petulant little brat, I will tear you apart limb by limb and then rejoice in your remains" he hissed at her.

Caroline slowly turned her head to him and squint her beautiful blue eyes to him "Go get a life Brady, this quest of yours is getting really old and I'm bored already"

"As soon as Mason gets back blondie. As soon as he gets back" he squeezed her arm.  
Caroline shook his hold on her and clenched her jaw as Brady walked away taunting her with a smile.

She took in a deep breath happy that everyone seemed too busy to notice the little annoying encounter; she straighten her curls and went to get her fries, stupid werewolf wouldn't win and bring her down tonight.  
Not tonight.

"You really enjoy stretching that thin rope don't you Caroline?"  
She gulped down because his voice was deep yet smooth as velvet and she had never heard anyone say her name like this.  
It actually messed with her.

"I don't know what you mean" she whispered.  
Klaus smiled "Oh I think you know exactly what I mean sweet Caroline"

She jolted her head towards him.  
He licked his lips and looked at her, she was so caught up in his intense stare "You enjoy living on that edge, that fine line between almost giving in and yet resisting"

"Resisting what Klaus?" she openly asked him.  
"The dark, the unknown, the adrenaline of having nothing to lose" he said in that low cunning voice of his.

"I _have _nothing to lose" she said admitting out loud how she really felt "Elena will always have people around her fighting to keep her safe, Bonnie, Matt, everyone has someone watching over them. They all have something to go on. I have nothing" she said and sat on the stool next to him "Not even a beating heart any more"

"Everyone has something. You just need to find what is your _something _or someone" he said playing with the drink in his hand.

"Why did you help me last night? I've heard things about you, Rose spoke a lot about all of you..." she clicked her teeth together "I expected a selfish, sadistic manipulative bastard not someone who saves damsels in distress in the middle of the night"

Klaus smiled darkly "You forgot misogynistic, puppeteering, manipulative, egotistical, and deeply misunderstood"

"Yeah... I thought that was implied" she said unable to take her eyes away from his face, something about Klaus was just alluring to her.

"And... you are no damsel in distress Caroline. Far from it... most people are afraid to even look me in the eyes, you just are fearless love. Now _that _is refreshing for someone who has seen and heard it all at least twice" he said looking at her and finding her eyes just that bit honest and that excited him in a way that was unexpected.

Caroline sighed "I have no idea why I just told you that..."  
"Feeling is mutual sweetheart" Klaus frowned.

Caroline smiled "I will have to compel you to forget about it all. No one should ever know"  
Klaus smiled and she saw dimples.  
The man had frigging dimples, she forgot how to breathe for a minute but then she remembered she had no use for it anyway.

"_I_ could compel you Caroline. Be careful for what you wish for love"  
Caroline smiled again "Well Klaus... I told you to leave town and maybe you should have listened to me..."

"And why is that sweetheart?" he asked smiling but looking straight ahead now taking his drink to his lips.  
She simply tilted her head and grabbed her fries "Because I _do _enjoy the dark, the unknown and the adrenaline of having nothing to lose Klaus"

Klaus had to laugh as she walked away seductively eating her fries.  
He shook his head and finished his drink, he should leave town and he should leave tonight.

This was a terrible idea in all sorts of ways.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Houses - _Great Northern_


	4. Party arrangements

"When you said that your brother was obsessed with giving you the best, I thought you were like exaggerating…" Caroline said looking around the enormous room she was in, plus she still couldn't get past the luxurious driveway nor the huge lobby on the way here.

Rebekah smiled "Nik enjoys the best" she simply said and left the room "I'll be right back, I just need to fetch something from my room, make yourself comfortable Caroline" she hurried upstairs.

Caroline smiled and took a closer look around, she noticed the details in everything, the really expensive furniture and the classical decoration.

She moved around slowly, allowing her eyes to take everything in, the man had good taste, no one could deny that.

She frowned and came closer to the huge painting on the far wall, she looked at the portrayal of a woman, a beautiful exquisite young woman, she was captured with such detail and perfection that it took her breath away.

She heard footsteps and turned slightly, Klaus came in coolly in all his swag and Caroline was at least happy she had the chance to prepare herself before he spoke.

"Do you enjoy art?" He asked quietly.  
Caroline narrowed her eyes "I don't really know that much about art. If you grab a lot of rusty and old stuff and glue them together and say that is art, I might laugh in your face so..."

Klaus smiled and she spotted these dimples again "You know the difference between unpleasant and beautiful don't you?"  
Caroline smiled at the way he said beautiful, every word in his mouth came off as music to her "I guess I can manage that..."

"Art is subjective, what appeals to one might loath another..." he looked at the drawing she was staring at when he walked in "Do you find her beautiful? I find her mesmerizing"

Caroline looked at the girl, the honesty in the way she was captured on paper; the way she looked down and the way she had her hand around her neck gently resting there, protecting herself it seemed "She looks sad..."

Klaus looked at Caroline and took in her immense beauty, she was breathtaking; everything about her was natural and genuine and just beautiful.  
Her features, her hair, the way her mouth curved, everything was alluring to him.

She looked at him and he noticed how much depth her eyes held, she had seen so much, too much, her eyes spoke of extreme sadness, despair and loneliness.

All the things he had learned to keep hidden from the world outside and that she still hadn't.  
She was tough but yet so fragile at the same time, such an amazing contradiction.

He locked his intense gaze with hers "She knew she was going to die" he simply said.  
Caroline lowered her eyes and returned to the woman on the wall, her eyes flicked to the bottom corner and she gulped down reading the name there.  
_  
**Niklaus Mikaelson**  
_  
"You... did this?" she asked genuinely surprised.  
"Yes, both things actually. I did a sketch of her and then I killed her" he simply said.

Caroline tensed but kept her posture "She knew..."  
"Yes" he replied attentively watching her.

She looked at him and the flicker of emotion in her was astonishing, she wasn't fragile just like instants before, she was fearless and defied his logic.  
"Remind me to never let you draw me then" she said with a witty smile.

"You should know something about me Caroline, I always get what I want sweetheart" he teased her with a dark smile.  
Caroline laughed heartedly and placed a hand on her chest "Oh my God Klaus, seriously? No one ever tells you no... do they?"

Klaus smirked his evil smile "Not really"  
She sighed dramatically "Sorry to rain on your parade Klaus, you are really hot with the accent and everything but... no" she said tilting her head so she could face him.

Klaus smiled "I do fancy a good challenge"  
She rolled her eyes and looked at the wall again, no way she was going to let herself fall for the really bad boy again, she had enough of that in her life, enough was enough.

"I'm too smart to be seduced by you" she said turning to leave.  
Klaus taunted her with his best uncanny smile "That's why I fancy you"

Caroline half stopped her motions but kept it together "Well you shouldn't"  
"Why is that love?" he asked serious.

"Everyone too close to me ends up dead" she said not avoiding the honesty in her words and regretting it, she really couldn't explain why she was confiding in Klaus yet again.

"Well I have the tendency of killing anyone that gets too close to me" he said shrugging and Caroline unexpectedly laughed.

A genuine rich laughter and shook her head leaving the room, Klaus looked at the portrayal smiling and took it down from the wall, it was time to replace it.

* * *

Jeremy came down the stairs and huffed because someone had been at the door for the last 10 minutes and no one seemed to hear it but him.  
He opened the door and found a tall man standing stoically there.

Elijah watched the young boy wearing a sweater with a hood "Good afternoon, I'm looking for Elena" he said calmly.  
Jeremy pulled his eyebrows together "She's not here"

"I have an appointment with her, maybe she will be arriving soon?" Elijah said and introduced himself "I'm Elijah, I suppose you are Elena's younger brother, Jeremy"

Jeremy folded his arms leaving Elijah's hand in the air "You can't come in"  
Elijah smiled nodding and retracting his hand "I can wait here"

"Elijah?" Elena called as she walked out of the kitchen with her aunt.  
Jenna smiled and watched the handsome man, Elena had not been kidding when she praised his looks.

"I'm sorry, I didn't listen to you arrive" Elena said smiling.  
"Maybe this is a bad time?" Elijah politely asked.

"Nonsense" Elena smiled wider and placed her straight long hair behind her ear.  
Elijah returned the warm smile.

"He is not invited in" Jeremy said drily.  
Jenna slapped his shoulder "Don't be rude Jer"

He clasped his lips and defied the accusing stares from both women "This is my house still, no? I won't have a vampire happily invited in so he can come during the night and kill us all"  
"Jeremy" Elena was appalled, she looked at Elijah quickly "I'm sorry..."

Elijah opened his arms always in his calm way and smiled "I understand and I have to agree with Jeremy and his worries, one can never be too sure about who we invite into our homes. I will happily wait outside"

Elena slumped in her place but she really didn't want to start a fight with Jeremy now and the silence from Jenna let her know she was probably alone in this.

"Give me two minutes to grab a jacket" she told him and turned.  
Jenna smiled at the dashing vampire "So... where are you and Elena going?" she asked him.

Elijah placed his hands inside his suit trousers "I have asked Elena to take me to the findings of her history teacher, the cave where our family history is displayed.

"I see..." Jenna said feeling a little apprehensive for the first time and feeling Jeremy's fulminating stare on her.

Elijah quickly picked up on her worries and smiled reassuringly at her and Elena's baby brother "She is safe with me, I assure you I mean nothing but to see history with my own eyes and the lovely Elena offered herself to come along so I could tell her a little about the old says in return"

Elena came outside smiling "It's not every day I have one of the town founders with me"  
"Not quite the founders but... we left our little mark in it" Elijah said and turned to Jenna.  
He took her hand and kissed the back of it pulling a woo sound from her.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Miss..."  
"Jenna, call me Jenna" she quickly said and smiled.

Elijah nodded once and left with Elena, he gave Jeremy one last look before leaving and the boy tried to feel less uneasy.  
It was a hard task.

* * *

"So what is this party all about?" Rebekah asked walking lazily down the empty hall of their school with Caroline.

"Welcome Party. We have one every year, it's the official kick off to the official parties in this town" she giggled.  
"Officially?" Rebekah joined her giggling.

Caroline nodded "It's a bunch of parties and dinners and stick up Grand Balls and all that"  
Rebekah noticed the annoyed tone to Caroline "You are Miss Mystic Falls, isn't that a lot of work to achieve? I figured you kind of lived for all this"

Caroline smiled "Key word, _lived_"  
Rebekah grimaced "You don't enjoy it any more now that you are a vampire... why?"

Caroline stopped by the door and smiled sadly at Rebekah "I was killed the night I was crowned Miss Forsaken Town" she said and pushed the door open.  
Rebekah followed her inside intrigued to the full story.

The girls found Matt and Bonnie already working on some boxes, piling them up.  
"What are you doing?" Caroline asked shaking her flawless hair.

Bonnie smiled "Hey... well..." she looked at Matt that was sealing one of the boxes.  
"You are not going to be happy about this. The party has been moved" Matt said slowly.

"Moved? What do you mean? Where?" she asked upset.  
Matt looked back at Bonnie.

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me" Caroline hissed through her teeth mad.

Rebekah looked at the fuming girl completely clueless to why Caroline was standing still at the driveway to the huge manor in front of them.  
Matt grabbed another one of the boxes and gave Caroline a smile; Bonnie did the same without speaking.

"Why are we not following them?" Rebekah asked intrigued.  
"I'm not welcomed here" Caroline said with her arms firmly folded across her chest.

"Where is _here_?" Rebekah asked when a few kids came towards them.  
"The Lockwood mansion" Caroline said fighting a snarl as the pack of werewolves came her way.

"Are you lost blondie?" one of the werewolves asked.  
Caroline remained quiet and motionless.

A girl eyed her amused and started walking around the two vampires. Rebekah frowned to the odd situation and was not a bit happy when one of the werewolves gave her a disgusted look.

"Too bad Brady isn't home... he was going to love this" another kid said and came closer to Caroline, enough to smell her.  
She took in a deep breath trying to keep her temper down "Then why don't you go find him and leave me alone?"

"You are in our territory Fang Barbie" a tall boy said.  
"No I'm not, I'm just outside; this is still public area here" She said facing him mad.

The boy took a step closer to her and she tensed in her boots "We don't want you around, leave and take your stinky friend with you" he hissed at her looking at Rebekah.  
Rebekah squinted mad "What did you just say about me?"

The kid that had made a disgusted face spit on the ground "That it stinks in here"  
"The only thing reeking here is you" Rebekah said upset.

Caroline smiled and raised an eyebrow to the boy in front of her; it was nice having another vampire around with her.

The girl who was standing behind Caroline lost it, she flung herself at Rebekah that caught her and held her against her chest, she taunted the rest of the pack with a sadistic smile "What happens if I twist her neck, does a dog come back to life?"

Caroline smirked "I think they just... die"  
The boy in front of her took a step closer and was inches away from her face, the rest of the pack eyed Rebekah ready to jump at her.

"Let her go" The boy demanded from Rebekah.  
Rebekah smiled "Oh... bite me" she said squeezing her arm around the girl's neck harder.

The boy snarled at her and tried to go around Caroline in order to reach Rebekah but Caroline flashed standing between him and Rebekah, she shoved the boy away and he landed on his ass miles away.

He crouched angrily and got up running towards Caroline, she prepared to fight him and the others that were on edge but a loud yell caught everyone by surprise.

"MALCOLM" the stern voice called mad.

The boy stopped and faced the origin of it.  
Rebekah saw the tall blonde man who walked towards them fast; she saw Klaus behind him and was surprised.

"That is enough Malcolm, you are embarrassing me" The man said.  
Rebekah smiled because his strong voice sounded funny considering the way he was dressed so casually.  
He had the typical surfer look to him.

The boy lowered his eyes to the floor "I'm sorry" he said and Rebekah realized who he was.  
He was the Alpha.  
"Are you ok Caroline?" he asked coming closer eyeing everyone in the pack mad.

She smiled "Yes... I didn't know you were back, Mason"  
He smiled at her showing his amazing smile, enough to make any girl melt.  
Along with his incredible green eyes, Mason Lockwood was just a stunning man.

"I arrived last night and Jules filled me in. I have arranged for my sister-in-law to give the Welcome Party in our home" he told Caroline.  
She clicked her teeth upset "It was your idea then..."

"Yes, I've already spoken to Klaus and personally invited the Originals to the party. It's the perfect opportunity to welcome them to the town as well" he said looking at Rebekah now "I'm sure we can all get along"  
Rebekah met his amazing stare smiling.

"Would you mind returning the insubordinate wolf back to me?" he asked seriously scolding the girl still in Rebekah's arms.  
"Not at all" she said smiling and removed her arms from around her.

The girl grabbed at her throat and then joined the pack, going inside the house.  
"I am counting on seeing you tonight Caroline as well" Mason told her with a genuine smile.

"I'm allowed to go in?" She quietly asked.  
Mason left after his insolent pack "Of course, you are always welcome to this house when I'm around"

Caroline smiled and fought the urge to ask the real question here, she looked at the windows in the house looking for some sort of evidence or sign that he was back as well.  
That he had returned to Mystic Falls with Mason.

"Lord I need a bath" Rebekah said disgusted and looking down on her with spite, she smelled awful.  
Caroline looked at Klaus "You are going to willingly step inside a house full of werewolves?"

Klaus gave her his teasing smile "I am never one to refuse a good challenge"  
Caroline gave him a look as he walked away smugly.

Rebekah eyed both Caroline and her brother "See you tonight then..." she said following Klaus.  
Caroline took one last look at the house and then walked away not seeing the dark figure in one of the windows watching her.

* * *

"I'm sorry Mason" Malcolm said and Mason hissed down on him "We have a truce with them, what made you think it was ok to go against my orders?"  
Malcolm looked down on the floor unable to face him "I don't know... I wasn't thinking"

Mason looked at the others that avoided his stare as well "I hope none of you make stupid decisions tonight, I want everything to go smoothly and I won't allow any fights or stupid remarks, am I being clear enough for everyone?"

They all nodded and left the room quietly.  
Mason sighed; this was going to be harder to handle than shifting on a full moon's night.

* * *

Kol went through the things on top of the table, Elijah was such a control and neat freak, he felt the urge to mess his table just to make him almost lose it.

Yes, because Elijah never truly lost it, he got upset and ripped heads off occasionally but he never truly really lost it in a messy way.

Kol found the diary where he always left it; he opened it carefully because he knew her picture was just lying on the first page loosely.

He stroked the picture as if it was made of dust and then closed the diary again, he didn't feel anything for her any more; it was just the urge to verify if his eyes had not mistaken him.  
He smiled as he sensed Elijah's presence "Back so soon?"

Elijah stood there watching his younger brother "What are you doing in my bedroom Kol?"  
"I made you a question first, it's rude to answer a question with a question" he smirked at his brother.

"I can't get inside the cave, only a human can"  
"But you knew that already" he said amused.

"We were forced to return quickly because apparently we are all invited to a party tonight" Elijah said noticing the proximity of Kol to his diary.  
"Are you attending? Nik and Bekah are getting ready already" Kol asked stepping away from the table.

Elijah shook his head "I'm not a party man"  
"Don't I know that" Kol said rolling his eyes and moved.

He passed Elijah and stopped at his shoulder "What if I see Elena there all alone and decide to use my flawless charm?"  
Elijah smiled "You are free to be rejected yet again"

Kol shrugged "Don't worry brother; she's not my type any more. Besides I rather spend the night at the Grill instead"  
"But all the women will be at the party" Elijah pretended to be appalled.

"All the serious ones at least" Kol said and left smirking.  
Elijah was serious and moved to the table, opening at once his diary, the picture seemed to come to life before his eyes, the resemblance was astonishing and scary.

He picked it up and turned it reading the name scribbled in the back out loud.  
"Katerina"

* * *

Caroline sulked in her corner; she hated this stupid party more than any other.

All the girls here were either werewolves or openly friends to the cause.  
It was hard to have support in this town but at least in her school grounds she was somewhat popular still.

In the Mayor's house she was mostly the vampire and daughter to the Sheriff in town, the one that had busted a few drunken parties and obviously was the much hated authority figure.

She sighed and grabbed another drink as the waiter went by, she sipped on the champagne and poured it back into the glass, she hated wine and anything that came from it.  
She dropped the glass on the near table and went back to sulking.

She watched as Matt and Bonnie greeted the people coming in, they were part of the Welcome Party hosts, another thing that had been stolen from her when they decided to move this stupid party to the Lockwood Manor of all the places.

She sulked even harder when Rebekah laughed at something Mason said, they had talked for the last hour.  
Politely at first and now more easily.

A soft song started and she recognized the voice, God she loved this song, it was such a beautiful powerful song and it should be danced like a formal, classical song.  
It was not a silly make out teen bop like the couples insisted on.

"I think you need a drink, desperately"

The deep accented voice made her unwillingly smile and she faced Klaus expecting him to be holding a champagne glass, she was so ready to dismiss him but instead he was holding a smaller rounder glass filled with what she was certain to be Vodka.

She pulled her eyebrows together "How did you know?"  
"I know a lot of things sweetheart" he said smiling and took a sip from his own straight Vodka.

She wanted to say no and tell Klaus to piss off and leave her alone but she needed a strong drink and she needed it now.

She took the drink and emptied half of it in one take.  
She didn't miss the smirk on Klaus' face.

Caroline went back to hating the couples that danced in slow motion to _Give me love_.  
"Seriously..." she mumbled, she must be really snappy tonight when something this silly was driving her insane.

Klaus removed the drink from her hand and she reacted too quickly, she looked like an old woman hang up on alcohol protesting as he handed both their drinks to the waiter.  
"What the hell Klaus?" she snapped.

Klaus took her hand and pulled her to the dancing floor "What do you think you are doing?"  
Klaus laced his arm firmly around her waist bringing her closer to him; she gulped down finding herself this close to his face.

"I think we need to show them how it's done" he said in that velvet voice of his.  
He took her hand and raised it with his forming a classic waltz figure and she had to smile, was he reading her mind?

They started moving to the powerful strokes of the song and seemed to fly across the floor.  
Klaus was a magnificent dancer and she had to admit she was loving how they seemed to have done this before, they moved effortlessly and she smiled hugely when he gently twirled her around.

She returned to his chest and found herself even closer to him, to his dashing face, his raspberry lips and slowly looked up to his intense eyes.  
She was serious now as they kept dancing going through the steps without thinking nor talking for a while.

"You look beautiful tonight" he said breaking the soothing silence between them.  
Caroline sighed "It's not working Klaus"

"What isn't love?" he asked amused.  
"I am not seduced by you" she said looking around the room for the first time.  
Most eyes were on her and she felt a bit self-conscious.

"All the men in this room wish they were me, dancing with you now" he said lowering his eyes so he could bloody pierce through her with his uncanny blue eyes, she thought.

"And all the women want to be me? Please... you aren't that good-looking Klaus" she said and smiled weakly.  
Klaus chuckled "Caroline you won't be able to resist me, you might as well give up now"

She smiled and gave him a look "That's the best you can do? I'm surprised, I expected meaningful and original lines at least, coming from you"  
"Why is that?" he asked genuinely.

"Because I won't be just another one in your endless list Klaus" she assured him.  
His smile was daunting "Then why are you so upset that I'm not using my best game on you?"

Caroline wavered thinking what to say next "I'm not..." was the very pathetic best she managed.  
Klaus laughed and she hated him for it because the sound of it made her shiver.

"Sweetheart... You are not a game to me" he said with that smile on his lips.  
"Right... you just... what? Decided you needed a new hobby, so you decided to seduce me, to prove that you can. Is this some sort of bet you have ongoing with yourself, when you get to a new town, you target someone new? I guess I should be even flattered" she said not averting her eyes from his this time.

"Everyone who dared to speak to me like this is headless now Caroline" he said lingering his powerful gaze upon hers.

She licked her lips and gasped loud when he made sure she felt his possessive hand in her lower back.  
She felt his breath on her face and his scent enveloped her, she would never admit it but she loved every second that he held her closely to his steel body.

"I'm not afraid of you Klaus or anyone" she added making a point.  
"I fancy you Caroline. You are strong, full of light and life... You are remarkable and challenging and you would certainly drive me insane but there's nothing I would love more than just fade into you and have you fade into me" he said meaning every word and knowing the power he was having over her now, alluring her to him.

But what he didn't expect was the fact that Caroline was unpredictable and she smiled at him, she removed her hand from his firm frame and brought it to his shoulder, slowly caressing him as she came down the lapel to his deep dark blue suit and stopped where his heart once had a beating sound.

She looked up to him serious now and whispered in a voice that was both enchanting and seductive as it was poisonous and surely deadly to him.

"The only way you will ever have me Klaus is if I own this but until then, you will never touch me or have me unless I want you to" she said and pulled away from him.

Klaus stood there watching her leave and as she did so they both smiled, now that was a true challenge, if he ever knew one.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Give me love - _Ed Sheeran_


	5. Game on

**AN: Amazing new story cover from the talented Mirela (themesmerisingone) on Tumblr who is just incredible and drew this based on my last chapter.  
Love you and am your biggest fan :D**

* * *

"How does this work? I'm not familiar with the entire werewolf chain in command thing" Rebekah asked Mason frowning.

Mason smiled "It works a bit like the army. One is the leader and then there are a lot of ranks. Going from the one that is closest to me and then to pack leaders and so on. A new werewolf usually starts off as just a simple soldier, told what to do by the pack leader that responds to the one bellow me. My second"

Rebekah sighed "So you are the Alpha and they all answer to you"  
"In this town, yes. Every town that has a huge gathering of werewolves has an Alpha but I don't have any power over a werewolf that comes from outside, some show respect others naturally feel the urge to test me" Mason explained casually leaning against the balcony where he and Rebekah found themselves.

"Who's your second in command? That petulant boy called Brady?" she asked sipping a bit of her champagne.  
Mason shook his head "Brady showed up in this town a few months ago and hooked up with Jules, he has been around since then, he's... a handful but we have enough fights going on to start a new one within our own"

"I see... it must be hard trying to keep everyone under control in a small town like this where everyone wants your place" she said lingering her eyes through Mason's strong features and smiling when he smiled.  
He had a wonderful smile.

"I have a few after my place but it's nothing I can't handle" he said drinking his beer and looking attentively at the beautiful woman in front of him.

"You seem really keen on keeping the peace, that has to be hard to handle as well when you have unsteady werewolves and vampires living under the same roof, even more when they are all forced to live constricted in such a small place" Rebekah said letting her eyes wander to his chest.  
The two casual opened buttons made her smile inwardly.

"The problem isn't keeping everyone under a leash; it's giving them a reason not to start killing each other. As werewolves we are naturally very territorial and threatened when others try to take our turf and our major problem was when they sent vampires to kill every supernatural species in this town, they eventually turned to us. Many died so we fought back and more werewolves came to town... a lot of innocent people were caught in the middle and that made me think this was his real intention. To turn werewolves against vampires so we'd kill each other off and leave the trail open for him to come get Elena and break the curse. I killed a lot of vampires Rebekah and many packs lost a lot of members and I regret not seeing it sooner because we might have been able to stop the blood bath that happened last year" Mason grimaced and held his beer closer to his heart.

"Who is this person that hates everyone so much and wants all of you dead?" She asked feeling anger for such an evil man.

"We only know his name, we've been tracking his lackeys down and keeping them off town and we finally caught a break last week. We have the Grimoire that holds the desiccation spell used on him" Mason said and sized Rebekah, as much as she seemed like a normal teenager, he knew she was still the enemy at this point.

Even with the treaty going on she still was a vampire, a very old and powerful one.  
Rebekah eyed him innocently and even smiling, she really looked like a normal girl, he smiled back at her.

"His name is Mikael" he said and waved at the waiter for another beer.

Rebekah gulped down and stared at him wishing she had heard wrong.

* * *

Kol drank and looked at the blonde girl across the table, she was talking to her friend but her eyes had been on him all night, he held the pool stick and smugly moved.

"I just finished a game and seem to find myself short of a partner, is any of you ladies interested in a good game?" he approached the two smiling girls.  
The blonde one smiled coyly at him and that's all the invitation he needed.

"I'm Kol" he said using his intense stare to seduce the blonde girl.  
She blushed when he added his powerful smile "I'm Yana"

"It's lovely to meet you Yana and your friend..." he looked at the slightly less shy one.  
Both girls followed him to the pool table and they started talking and flirting openly.

Kol was having a really good time, the best since he arrived to this town and even ignored a kid when he stood in his way preventing him from playing.  
"You are in my way mate" he said with a smile.

The kid scolded the girls that were all of a sudden really quiet.  
Kol sighed and straighten himself up "May I help you?"

"These girls are off-limits" the kid said sternly.  
"They are? That's odd, that's sort off what I was not thinking, they don't seem to really care about limits" Kol said with a naughty smile.

The kid snarled and Kol was annoyed, he was a werewolf.  
The girls were probably werewolves as well, not that he actually minded, he was up to anything as long as he had fun.

"Stay away from our women" the kid said and Kol noticed the two other kids that joined in.  
The girls quietly left and Kol rolled his eyes, spineless was such a turn off for him.

"They were friendly until you arrived mate, I didn't force any one to join me" he simply said and opened his arms.  
"Malcolm I think he needs to know about limits. We should teach him a lesson so he stays away from us and our women" one of the other two said.

"I think I need therapy because you all sound like a cult" he smirked.  
Malcolm grabbed a stick and eyed Kol ready to use it; Kol smiled wider and smashed his stick on the pool table, breaking it in two.  
He twirled the two broken pieces in his hands and then placed them upon his shoulders.

"By all means dear... just do it" he said taunting Malcolm.  
The werewolf clenched his jaw and took one step closer to Kol "You are too cocky for a vampire living in a place full of werewolves"

Kol smiled his malevolent smile "Let's drop the numbers then, shall we?" he said and quickly shoved the two improvised stakes into Malcolm's chest.  
One of them piercing through his heart.

He stepped away from the werewolf that fell to the ground with a heavy dead noise and smiled at the other ones gagging in shock "Anyone else interested in teaching me a lesson?" he asked loudly.

Everyone inside the Pub kept on drinking and ignored him; the two other werewolves looked at each other and then left.

Kol sighed.  
It had started off like such a promising evening, he shook his head and grabbed his leather jacket, now he was going home alone.

* * *

"Don't you look all dashing tonight" Caroline told Bonnie with a smile.

"Thank you" Bonnie replied and added "You look equally dashing"  
"We are far too kind to each other" Caroline giggled "Have you seen Elena? I haven't seen her all night"

"I don't think she came... Jeremy was up to something and she stayed home trying to bang some sense into his pot screwed up mind" Bonnie said and then smiled "Or... she's enjoying the town tour with that ridiculously good-looking older brother. Seriously? They are like out from some freaky stunning model factory or something"

Caroline smiled weakly "Yeah... they are all really... hot"  
"Speaking of which... Klaus is quite the dancer" she teased Caroline.

"It takes two to dance Bonnie" Caroline replied annoyed.  
Bonnie laughed "Wouldn't mind dancing with one of them" she said with a naughty look.

Caroline shook her head and her eyes caught Klaus politely making conversation with Mayor Lockwood.

She watched the couple and was certain Bonnie was still talking but she was too busy coping with the fact that this gentle, polite man who now smiled warmly at something the old woman had said was the same that had compelled some girl to stand still while he drew her and then drained her dead.

But wasn't that the true ways of a Sociopath?

Klaus laughed softly and his eyes seemed to know where she was, they shared a look, a moment and Caroline was angry at herself because that was not what she saw when she looked into his eyes, it was something else; she didn't know what he was because Klaus hid himself from everyone, from the world, he had managed to do what she was still unable to.

Mason came inside the room tense and stopped by Klaus, she could hear him from where she was.  
"We need to talk. There's a problem with one of your brothers" he whispered to Klaus that excused himself and followed him to another room.

Caroline rushed behind them and was joined by Rebekah stepping inside the house den.  
"What happened?" she asked when she came in.

Mason paced around nervous and mad "His brother killed Malcolm, at The Grill in front of half the town"  
Rebekah looked at Klaus who rolled his eyes unimpressed "Kol" he simply told her.

She slumped in her place, this was a disaster, Kol was a disaster.

"If he did it, I'm sure he was provoked" Klaus told Mason.  
The Alpha stopped his erratic movements "You can't come into my town and start killing everyone in sight"

Klaus squinted his amazing eyes "First, he killed one of you not everyone in sight and secondly who are you to tell us what we are or not allowed to do?"  
Mason made fists "I spent the last year keeping this town together in peace"

Klaus smiled wickedly "And what a wonderful job you have done when they come at Caroline behind your back and try to kill her every chance they got"  
Mason jolted his head towards her and she gasped, oh damn you Klaus.

"Who was it? Who defied my orders?" he asked her furious.  
"Forget it" she said recovering.

"I'll deal with this later" he simply told her and then looked at Klaus again "I can't have you on the loose killing as you please"  
"You have no idea what pleases us so don't assume that was the worst we can do or that you can keep us under your control" Klaus said in such an eerie voice the tension inside the room rose.

"You have to leave this town" A boy said walking in and Caroline gulped down feeling shaken.  
Klaus eyed the boy "And who would you be?"

"I'm Tyler Lockwood and you are in my house so I'd be careful not to piss me off, I'm not as easy-going as my uncle" he said stopping by Mason.  
"It must be a werewolf thing... because you insist on telling me what to do" Klaus said frowning.

"If you stay you will start a war we really don't want, so my advice is that you pack up and leave" Tyler said.  
Klaus smiled and the fact he did so left everyone on edge "I'm not good playing by rules that aren't mine"

Tyler sized the vampire in front of him and slowly looked to his right, his eyes met Caroline that stood still and looking at him.  
He coldly looked away from her.

"Your presence here is no longer welcome" Tyler said.  
Mason looked at him confronting him.

"You may be my Alpha but this is still my house" he told Mason "And I don't want any vampires in here" he looked at Caroline this time "That includes you"  
"So it has come to this then?" she quietly asked.

Tyler moved so he could face her "I don't want you in this house"  
Caroline took a deep breath collecting herself and nodded "Very well. I'll leave now"

Tyler wavered when she turned around and left but this is how it had to be, he couldn't give in to her again.  
Klaus looked at Mason "I think we are done here" he said and left with his sister by his side.

They reached the car and found Bonnie that waited for Matt.  
"What happened in there? Caroline left really upset" Bonnie asked Rebekah.

"My brother Kol got into a quarrel and killed some Malcolm bloke and then someone called Tyler showed up and revoked Caroline's invitation to the house" Rebekah told her opening her hands.  
Bonnie lowered her head in dismay "Dick..."

"What's the heat between them?" Rebekah asked.

"Tyler and Caroline were a couple, a typical high-school couple but he had the werewolf gene and we all know how they become one. Tyler always had a temper and he and Caroline got into a huge fight one day and things got out of hand, he crashed the car against a tree and she was in a coma. Rose was in town at the time and we begged her to feed her blood so she'd be ok and she was. She woke up but someone got to her when she was alone and killed her that night. She returned as a vampire and Tyler's curse triggered. He became a werewolf and holds it against her, like it was her fault" Bonnie explained sad.

"And Mason? He seems to really have a soft spot for her" Rebekah asked resting her hands over the open door to Klaus' car.  
"He was the one on watch in the hospital that night. He fell asleep and blames himself for what happened to Caroline" Bonnie said and waved at Matt that arrived with his pickup truck.

"Get inside the car Rebekah, we are leaving" Klaus finally snapped at all the gossip talk.  
She rolled her eyes at him and smiled at Bonnie "See you tomorrow Bon"

"Bye Bekah" the other girl said and got inside Matt's car.

* * *

"What were you thinking?" Rebekah yelled mad at Kol.  
The young sibling folded his arms annoyed sitting at the couch "Maybe I should have let them kill me"

"You can't be killed you moron of epic proportions" she ranted grabbing a pillow and hitting him on the face with it.

He gave her a look, seriously?  
She screamed raging.

Elijah tried to pull all the information together "You didn't go to the party so you could go to the town's pub and stick some boy like a Voodoo doll? Astonishing how you always manage to find new ways to get into trouble Kol"

"I didn't!" he said opening his hands and shaking his head.  
"You single-handed almost started a war that has been sleeping" Rebekah snapped again.

"And how did I do that exactly? I was defending myself, I was hardly ripping wolf hearts out by the hundreds" he got up mad "Besides you are supposed to be on my side as my family, I wasn't exactly expecting you to strap me down in the town's square and trial me to death here"  
"So dramatic" Rebekah mumbled.

"I went for a drink, almost got a threesome and was lectured about silly werewolf rules or some annoyance. I swear they all act like a bloody cult and when they came at me I was... me" Kol explained appalled to why none of them saw this.  
"I give up" Rebekah said serious.

Elijah closed his eyes and gently ran his fingers through them bringing his fingers together over his nose "Where is Niklaus?" he calmly asked.  
Rebekah fondled with her phone "He left me here and I didn't ask where he was going next"

Elijah recognized the tone in her voice "What's the matter?"  
"We might have another problem"

Elijah tilted his head.

"Mikael" she dropped the powerful bomb on her brothers.

* * *

Caroline ate the ice cream almost in anger, she was so upset and her mind was just buzzing with everything.

She grabbed her old cheerleader jacket and put it over her blue one strapped dress.  
Her mind unwillingly flew to the man she had danced with just a couple of hours ago.

They had been both wearing deep dark blue, oh my God such a fashion disaster.  
She thought and smiled at her own silly mind.

"Yeah Caroline, next time just ask him what colour he is going to wear so you don't clash with him" she said out loud and then giggled.

She indulged in another spoon of vanilla ice cream and took her stilettos off; she rubbed her feet sighing and looked around her empty dark kitchen.  
Her life was pathetic.

Another spoon was on the way to her mouth when a soft knock on her front door startled her, who could it be at this hour?  
She walked to it and her breath was caught in her throat at once.

"Klaus... what are you doing here?" she asked him opening the door.  
Klaus smiled because he was really not expecting the image he found, Caroline wearing a scruffy old Cheerleader jacket and barefoot.

He raised an eyebrow when he spotted her little star tattoo on her right foot.  
Caroline was full of surprises.

She shook her head in a funny way asking him again without speaking.  
Klaus collected himself "I have no interest in a war, whatever happened tonight with Kol is bound to happen again because none of us respond well when pushed Caroline"

Caroline leaned against her opened door "Why are you telling me this?"  
"Because Mason seems to listen to you and you have to set a meeting between us. Just between the two of us" Klaus said serious.

"Haven't you heard? They invented phones already. I am not the messenger type" she smiled sarcastically at him.  
"I just need you to set the meeting, that's all I want from you sweetheart" Klaus replied with a sarcastic smile of his own.

Caroline grimace a bit "Fine. I'll talk to him tomorrow and tell Rebekah where you both can meet"  
"I don't want my sister involved in this, no one must know" he said serious.

"Jesus Christ, fine, I'll leave a note on the second tree, five steps into the woods" she snapped.  
Klaus smiled showing his dimples and she reluctantly smiled as well.

"Silly Caroline, we have phones" he said and handed her a folded piece of paper with his number.  
Caroline took it, shaking as she did so.

"Ok... I'll let you know later how it went" she said and prepared to close her door.  
Klaus stopped her by placing his hand there and she frowned with his action.

He licked his lips and spoke without facing her "You shouldn't be sad about Tyler"  
Caroline gave him a side look "Excuse me?" she asked a bit stunned.

He slowly searched her eyes "You shouldn't feel guilty for what happened. He was always doomed to become what was in him all along"  
Caroline shook her head gently but didn't speak.

"In a town where you are either one or the other, becoming a werewolf was his destiny and you died so he could become one. You died and he shouldn't make you feel guilty for it" Klaus spoke with such honesty that his soothing tone was leaving Caroline unbalanced.

"Why are you telling me this Klaus?" she asked him vulnerable and Klaus noticed the unique tone to her voice, the way her eyes searched for something he couldn't allow himself to give her.

"Because I killed my mother in order to break my werewolf curse" he said and expected her to close the door and run from him but God damn this woman was unpredictable.

Instead Caroline took a step closer to him "Did you do it on purpose? Did you kill her so you could be what you wanted?" she asked him in a sweet low voice.  
"Yes" Klaus replied inches away from her.

Due to the fact she was barefoot now, she was shorter than before when they danced and he looked down on her; he enjoyed the fact that he was allowed to lower his gaze to hers, dwell in her features without having her looking away, she was forced to look at him so she could keep her leverage.

He fought the urge to stroke her face, her cheek, ran his finger through her full red lips and to cup her chin.  
He licked his lips instead.

"I feel like you are constantly trying to shock me, that every word comes off to scare me away and to push me. Are you trying to push me Klaus so I don't get too close to you?" she honestly asked him.

"I don't play fair and I am not good at following other people's rules sweetheart. There are very few exceptions I'm ready to compromise" he said smiling and she could tell his posture was back, his guards were back up as he pulled away from her smiling.

She closed the door to her house clutching the paper in her hands; she unfolded it on her way to the bedroom and sat roughly on her bed.  
There was something inside the paper, a drawing of her face and a note.

**_I am going to play this by your rules. I will not touch you until you ask me to Caroline and you will.  
One day you will ask me and I will show you everything that the world has to offer, all you have to do love is ask.  
Klaus_**

Caroline ran her hands through her hair feeling wobbly and a mess.  
What on Earth had she just gotten herself into?

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Volcano - _Damien Rice_


	6. Choosing sides

Caroline held the books closer to her chest and made her way through the busy hall, she felt the heavy stares on her back as she opened her locker.

"They should definitely move the blood sucker lockers outside, where the sun shines bright and beautiful" A boy said resting casually against the locker next to Caroline's.

She ignored him and took a book she needed keeping the rest inside the metal structure.  
"If only you didn't have that ring..." he teased her with an evil tone to his voice.

She slammed the door shut heavily and gave him an annoyed look.  
He smiled darkly "Now that the stupid truce is ending this will be fun fang girl"

"What will you guys do once I'm dead? What will happen to your pathetic little lives without a life purpose any more? Will you ever be happy enough with just chasing your own tales?" she asked and smiled.

The boy snarled at her and punched her locker, leaving a huge dent in it and then walked away looking back at her angrily.  
"Thank you, I always wanted a personalized locker" she said with a huge smile and then rolled her eyes walking to class.

She found Rebekah there more serious than usual, she sat and gave the other blonde a look "Who ate your breakfast?"  
Rebekah smiled "Only... issues at home"

"The Kol situation I presume" Caroline said resting her head on her hand.  
"Is it possible to love and hate someone in equal measures? Because that's how I feel about my family"

Caroline looked at the girl and thought about it for a bit "At least you have a family" she simply said and focused on their class.  
As much as she could that is, knowing Tyler was back in school.

* * *

Klaus was sitting on their couch, doing the last touches to the drawing in his hands, he used his finger to make the shadows around her hair darker and smiled pleased with the outcome of his work.

It had been a while since he had been interested enough to sketch someone and it felt nice to do it again, to have a reason to do it.

Elijah sat in front of him serious and he knew instantly that something was up, he put the sketch away and confronted his older brother.

"What's the matter?"  
Elijah opened his suit and made himself more comfortable "Rebekah told me a little tale about werewolves, dopplegangers and Mikael"

Klaus licked his lips "I tried to warn you all"  
Elijah smiled "You failed to mention that our father was behind this"

Klaus tensed his jaw "He is your father not mine and if any of you actually listened to me, we would be long gone from this town by now"  
"Rebekah doesn't want to leave, she says she will stay behind alone if she has to" Elijah said in his cool way.

"She doesn't know what she wants, she's a spoiled brat" Klaus snapped.  
"If she is one, you raised her that way by indulging her in everything she wanted" Elijah replied with a hint of a smile.

Klaus looked away annoyed "If you think you can do a better job at it, by all means..."  
Elijah eyed his brother "She doesn't listen to anyone but you"

Klaus smiled smugly "She doesn't listen to anyone. Period"  
Elijah laughed softly "Niklaus, maybe we shouldn't stay in this town"

"Are you ready to leave Elena? You just found her, imagine what could happen if you leave now"  
His brother was serious "It's rude to bring a lady into a brother's quarrel"

"Tell that to Kol, I'm sure he will love it" Klaus said tauntingly.  
Elijah scolded his brother with rage, Klaus smiled his usual mean smile "But let's not go down that path just yet... about Mikael, I did try to make us all leave but you all are so smart and brave and know everything..." he got up from the couch and picked the paper carrying it as he walked away "I know nothing and no one ever listens to me so when this idiotic trial week ends, I'm leaving and you can all stay here and get killed, I'm not even bothered"

Elijah smiled "Are _you_ sure you can leave Caroline behind?"  
The words made Klaus stop and turn to face Elijah.

"She seems to have caught your eye, we all know you don't help anyone out of the goodness of your heart and..." Elijah shrugged slowly "You helped her, you danced with her, you draw her... do you care for this one girl Niklaus?"

"Don't be ridiculous Elijah" Klaus said scolding his brother.

Elijah didn't miss the hint of denial in Klaus' voice and slowly stood up "Then you won't mind helping your big brother one last time before we part ways"

Klaus' smile returned to his features, his feelings and thoughts completely concealed as always "Of course brother"

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Jenna asked a little worried.  
"Yes, it's going to be ok" Alaric said and smiled at her.

She watched as he packed a bunch of weapons inside his green bag, she had a terrible feeling about this.  
"I'll just go with Mason and make sure everything goes smoothly" Alaric said grabbing the bag.

"He can handle this alone. He is used to it" She said trying to convince him.  
"I'll be back in a few hours" Alaric said and kissed her.

Jenna kissed him back "Just... be careful ok? Elena and Jeremy would never forgive you if anything happens to you"  
Alaric smiled hugely "Elena and Jeremy huh?"

She bit her lip smiling "Yeah, I'd just be happy to get my bed back all to myself"  
Alaric nodded and pulled her closer to one more kiss, he stroked her cheek "I'll be careful and I promise not to do anything stupid"

"Good to know, we already have enough of that in this house" she huffed.  
"Has he left his room since yesterday?" Alaric said moving to the door.

Jenna walked with him "Still upset that I grounded him for being caught by Sheriff Forbes smoking pot in a car outside the Grill"

"He'll get over it... eventually" Alaric opened the door "Don't go out until I get back and under no circumstances invite anyone in"

She made a serious face and saluted him.  
Alaric shook his head and left.  
Jenna stood at the door watching him leave and felt her heart tight inside her chest.

* * *

"I thought this was supposed to be just the two of us. Maybe I wasn't that explicit" Klaus said as he approached Mason that was standing by the old well with Caroline.

"I asked Caroline to be here because I might need the extra witness in case you decide to kill me" Mason said leaning against the well casually.  
"I don't have a reason to kill you" Klaus said smiling "Yet..." he added eerily.

Mason remained peaceful "Caroline mentioned you wanted to avoid a war?"  
Klaus smiled and placed his hands behind his back "That was yesterday... today let's just say that my priorities have somewhat changed"

Mason looked at Caroline that slightly shook her curls clueless.  
"Your brother killed one of us and it took me all night to cool down everyone that wanted his head" Mason explained.

Klaus chuckled "Let's not start anything that might get slightly out of hand, alright? The thing with Kol and anyone in my family for that matter is that you can't poke us and expect us to stay quiet. Keep your dogs on a short leash Mason if you don't want to start looking for new ones" he finished coldly.

Mason pressed his lips containing himself "We were here first"  
Klaus smiled malevolent "Well... technically..." he opened his arms and shrugged.

Mason knew he was right, technically this town belonged to them and they could claim it any time they wanted.  
"What do you want Klaus?" Mason asked knowing it wasn't peace at this point.

"The Grimoire you found" Klaus said pursing his lips with that hint to a smile.  
Mason opened his mouth baffled "Why?"

"It has value to me" Klaus said sarcastically.  
Mason looked at Caroline that stood as confused as he felt.

Klaus walked around a little and raised his hand "It holds the spell that sent Mikael into his Snow White sleep, does it not?"

"I thought you didn't know who Mikael was" Alaric said coming out of the woods behind Caroline and Mason; he was holding a crossbow pointed at Klaus.

Klaus smiled at the courage of the history teacher "It's not important who he is just that it's in my best interest that he remains where he is"  
"So you do know where he is?" Mason asked pulling away from the well.

Klaus gave him a look "As if I would tell you this"  
"Why do you want the Grimoire?" Alaric asked tensing his finger around the trigger.

"I'm done with all the questions" he simply replied "You have until tonight to hand me the Grimoire or I'll show you what true war is" his voice as scary as his dark stare.

Mason stepped forward and stood dangerously close to Klaus, for the first time in this entire time Caroline showed signs of worry.

"Don't underestimate us Klaus, we are not going to jump just because you told us to" he said finally verging on anger.

Klaus smiled his dark and twisted smile "The very same applies to me mate" he said and quickly tossed Mason against a tree, it took him a moment to react and a second for Alaric to throw a sharp spear into Klaus chest.

Klaus clenched his jaw in fury and looked down on his chest, the wooden piece sticking out; he wrapped his hand around the spear and growled pulling it out.

He bent his head down and his eyes darted Alaric, with a flash he came at him, the spear in his hand ready for the kill.

Caroline flashed standing in front of Alaric, she gasped when Klaus stopped at the last second, her blue scared eyes searching his and gasping in anticipation.

Klaus clenched his teeth in rage and spoke as dark as death itself "What makes you think I won't rip his heart out right through yours?" he hissed at her mad.

Caroline gulped down her fear and maintained her gaze upon his.  
"There's nothing stopping you from doing it but to get to Alaric you will have to get through me. You will have to kill me Klaus" she said and took a deep breath preparing for whatever outcome.

Klaus breathed hard and intensely upon her face, the spear clenched in his hand and he seemed ready to finish them both but slowly backed down and she allowed herself to breathe again though still remaining as a shield to Alaric.

Klaus pointed at them with the spear "The Grimoire, tonight. Or I start chopping heads, starting with the lovely Jenna and Jeremy, the rebel one"

Caroline licked her really dry lips nervously, she could tell how serious he was and how all this was becoming a huge threat.  
He was becoming a threat.

"Give it to Caroline, I'll stop by her house to pick it up" he darkly added and left.  
Caroline felt like she had been the one thrown against a tree now.

* * *

Elena walked inside the Grill and waved at Matt, the tall man standing alone in a table caught her attention and she smiled.

"Hey" she said when close to him.  
Elijah smiled warmly "Elena, thank you for coming" he said and stood up.

"It was a bit hard dodging my aunt, she was suddenly all paranoid about me leaving the house" she said and smiled when Elijah made a hand gesture asking her to sit.

She placed her hair behind her ear and shook her head a little because he only took his seat after her. She wasn't used to all this, the best manners the kids in town had were eating with a fork instead of their own hands.

"She is right lovely Elena" Elijah said and crossed his hands over the table.  
Elena removed her scarf and tilted her head eyeing him "I've been through enough to know that this means something bad"

Elijah took a deep breath "There is something you should know about my family Elena, when we are this old, there are a lot of secrets and lies buried within us"  
She played with the vervain bracelet on her wrist "Why did you come to Mystic Falls?"

"To run away, to start over. To forget who we are" he said.  
"And who are you?" she asked afraid of the answer but at the same time eager to find out.

"Death" he simply said.  
Elena looked down on the table.

Elijah twisted his thumbs and pressed them together "Everywhere we go, death follows us and we always end up covered in blood"  
She slowly looked at him "Are you here to kill me Elijah?"

"Why would you think that?" he frowned.  
"Because I'm smart enough to know everyone wants me dead and sooner or later they will succeed, I just want to know if you are on that list as well" she quietly said.

"You shouldn't think like this Elena" he shook his head sad.  
"Why not?" she asked leaning a little over the table.

"Because... the last one that thought this, did end up dead" he said looking into her wonderful deep brown eyes.  
She squinted "The last... doppelganger?"

Elijah nodded.  
"You knew the doppelganger before me?" She asked stunned.

Elijah placed his palms on the table as if looking for support and then spoke "I wasn't able to protect her. They got to her before I could do anything. Katerina was the doppelganger before you; it was my duty to protect her, to make sure nothing happened to her but... I got distracted by my feelings for her and wasn't able to prevent her human death"

"I'm not your duty Elijah" Elena said awkwardly fighting a fit of blush.  
Was it wrong to suddenly wish she was?

Elijah took in her features, she looked exactly like her and yet she looked so different and unique in her own way.  
Strong and determined even with such young age.

"What if I told you that your blood is the very key to wake Mikael and that if he ever wakes up; he will come for everyone in this town destroying everything on his path?"

Elena clutched the bracelet in her hand "Who is Mikael?" she asked as soft as a whisper.  
"The devil itself" Elijah answered serious.

* * *

Kol looked at the girl in the bar laughing with Matt, she was really something else.

He made his way there and sat next to her, she gave him an aggravated look to which he replied with his best smile.

She rolled her eyes and stood up, Matt laughed and moved to the other side of the bar attending to a few costumers there.

"Excuse me, Bonnie?" Kol called after her.  
She sighed and looked back at him, his smug smile still there.

"What happened to this town's hospitality?" he teased her "You were so nice to me the first day we met"

Bonnie folded her arms and smiled finally, she slowly walked back to him "You see, that was before you started killing werewolves in front of half the town"

Kol shook his head serious "One! I killed one and the Pub was hardly filled with a few bums and alcoholics"

"I'm glad you found your crowd" she said smiling even more.  
Kol raised his eyebrow "Are you trying to seduce me? I love pretty little things with sharp tongues"

"I'm trying to tell you that you are a douche. Next time you decide to start a war make sure you know a bit more about it"  
"What's there to know? They want us dead and I kill them instead" Kol said matter the fact.

Bonnie raised her hands in the air "Praise the Lord, our saviour is here. Finally. Alleluia" she dramatically yelled.  
Kol frowned at her weird reaction.

She came a bit closer to him "Listen up Messiah wannabe; I could have killed any of them when I wanted. We weren't waiting for any of you to sweep in and save us all from certain death. Get over yourself Kol, we were holding on for a reason. We have our own reasons to put up with this crap, so take your Rambo attitude somewhere else and stop messing up with our plan, ok?" she finished yelling at him.

Kol eyed her for a few seconds then he asked her seriously "Are you dating anyone?"  
"GAH" Bonnie let out and turned away from him.

He watched her walk away and then called Matt without taking his eyes from her petite curved body "Beer. Ice cold" he said raising an eyebrow at how his body was reacting to her.

* * *

Caroline took a deep breath when she heard the knock on her door, she braced herself to find a furious Klaus but instead she faced a smiling one on her doorstep.

"Here" she drily said and handed him the Grimoire.  
Klaus opened it making sure it was the one he wanted and then closed it "Thank you love. That wasn't so hard was it?"

She folded her arms still inside the safety of her home "You don't even make an effort to get to know people, if you did, you would know that we would have given you the Grimoire because we have no interest in waking Mikael up, because we all want to keep Elena alive but instead you just came at us with all you got"

"I can't afford to take any chances here sweetheart" he smiled at her.  
She shook her head and turned her back on him.

Klaus licked his lips "Mikael is my father"  
Caroline froze in her place without looking at him.

"Well... I don't consider him one but he thinks he's entitled to that name nonetheless. He wants me dead and I can't afford to let him out of that tomb because he will start by killing everyone remotely close to me" he confessed to her.

Klaus clenched the spell book in his hand realizing the true purpose to Elijah's little request; an ultimate test to his loyalty towards his family "What happened today in the woods can't happen ever again Caroline, next time if I have to, I will kill you"

She moved to face him but Klaus was already getting inside his car.  
She watched as he left feeling strangely sad.

* * *

The morning came just like any other and she closed the door to her car feeling as grey as the day that stubbornly promised rain.

She spotted Kol and Rebekah already bickering but she looked after the car, trying to catch the driver, Klaus drove past her completely ignoring her and she couldn't help it, she was upset over it.

He was bloody ignoring her?  
This was just brilliant.

She marched towards her locker and opened it mad; she switched a few books and then groaned because she heard Cesare on her side annoying her again.

"Are you back to make another customized dent on my locker? I'm good thank you" she said smiling at him.

The boy smiled "No... I' back to remind you that you don't belong in here, that you should leave this school and this town" he said and a few kids behind him laughed, he looked smugly at them.

"You know... it's not a good day so far so..." she smiled and suddenly smashed the kids head against the locker next to hers.

One of the others tried to help him by coming at her, she grabbed his arm and twisted it so he was left screaming clutching to his shoulder as she gripped him hard.

She looked around the small crowd "Anyone else wants to test my patience today?" she enforced her grip and the kid yelled louder trying to free himself from her hold.

She released his arm finally when everyone started slowly walking away, the kid looked at her and Cesare clutched his bleeding forehead.  
They reluctantly left as well.

"What was that?" Rebekah asked her surprised.  
"I finally had enough, if they want to keep making my life miserable, I'm going to start fighting back" she said and closed her locker with a loud noise.

Rebekah smiled surprised "What's with the sudden change of heart?"  
"I'm done choosing sides because I always end up on the _screw you _team" she said glancing mad at Tyler that was standing with a few of his football team mates and looked at her serious.

"Impressive, so what side are you picking then?" Rebekah asked trying to keep up with her fast pace.  
"Mine" Caroline simply said pushing the door that led to the school fields.

Rebekah smirked "Can I be in your team? I need one and yours sounds so much fun"  
Caroline smiled "Sure, you up for your first team assignment?"

The Original girl smiled wickedly "What is it?"  
"Trying out for the Cheerleaders, they kicked me out when they found out what I was, I'm taking my place back" she said walking determinately.

Rebekah barely kept her excitement, bloody hell, the fun was finally about to begin.

* * *

**Soundtrack:  
**  
Sugar we're going down - _Fall out boy _


	7. Initiation

Klaus dropped the Grimoire on the table; Elijah smiled and raised his eyes to meet his brother.  
"Was this some sort of ridiculous test?" Klaus asked him angrily.

Elijah picked the book and flicked through the pages "We have the Grimoire, that's what is important, is it not?" he looked at Klaus.  
Klaus clenched his teeth "I don't enjoy taking part in your silly experiments Elijah"

"I'm sorry if you felt like that Niklaus" Elijah said and stood up.  
He took the book and dropped it into the burning fire inside the mantel.

Klaus watched his brother with hate, no one made Klaus play a game unless he wanted to.  
"Were there any troubles?" Elijah asked placing his hands inside his pockets.

"At least now they know they can't push us around and tell us what to do"  
Elijah smiled "Very well then..."

Klaus sensed that Elijah wanted to discuss the real point to his test but he turned his back on his older brother before he did so.

He reached outside their home and saw the silver car pulling into his driveway, he recognized the blonde hair picked up in a flawless ponytail, she sighed and looked away from him, even behind her black shades he could see her determination.

Klaus reached inside his coat and took his keys, the door behind him opened to let another blonde with another perfect ponytail out.  
"I'm going with Caroline today" she told Klaus and rushed to the silver car.

Kol stopped by Klaus' side "What on Earth was that?"  
Klaus smiled "I think that's what they call a cheerleader outfit" he said and watched as the two girls laughed and she drove away without looking at him.

Fair enough Caroline, he thought to himself.

* * *

Matt was punching some guy playfully; it soon escalated into a silly wrestling match that came to a sudden stop when the other kid gagged staring at the main door.

Matt noticed how most of the other kids were having the same reaction and looked in that direction stunned himself with the double vision.

Caroline and Rebekah marched in all-powerful and knowing it.  
They wore their perfect cheerleader outfits, red, short and sexy; they had neat ponytails and an attitude.

They both knew everyone's eyes were on them but they seemed more than comfortable with it, they waved at Matt and smiled and he couldn't help the silly grin that took over him.

"Damn... I forgot how hot Caroline was..." some random kid said.  
"And the new girl? Hot damn... I need to start going to those football games" another one said.

Rebekah flirted with some of the kids standing by the vending machine and one of them dropped his bag of chips when Caroline bent down to pick her Coke.  
She smiled opening the can and took a sip from it.

"That's the sexiest thing I have ever seen" the kid that had wrestled Matt whispered.  
"She's a vampire" Tyler said annoyed stopping by them.

The kid laughed nervously because Caroline looked his way "Right... vampire or not, she's hot and you are like the dumbest guy on school to let that go" the kid said "Maybe I should try out for the football team" he added in a numb state.

Matt laughed but kept it together because Tyler gave him a look.  
Rebekah smiled at the group of girls fuming by the lockers and followed Caroline to the classroom.

They shared a long satisfied look.

* * *

At lunch time Bonnie sat across Elena with a sigh "I can't wait for the summer, I am so tired of school" she pouted and rested her chin upon her hand.

Elena played with the food across her plate "Umhum... I know"  
Bonnie frowned "What's with you?"

"Nothing" she said not really convincing Bonnie.  
Her friend gave her a look.

"I met with Elijah yesterday at the Grill" she said leaning over the table.  
"Uh the tall, handsome one?" Bonnie asked sighing loudly "That's one fine Mikaelson"

"He told me about the doppelganger before me"  
"The one we found on that old diary?"

Elena nodded.  
"And?" Bonnie asked anxiously.

"He went on about being her protector or something... that it was his duty to keep her safe and that he fell in love with her and then she died" Elena explained "I felt like he wanted to tell me something more but then he backed away"

"I don't really remember reading about him on the diary but it has been a while since I read it" Bonnie said eating her sandwich.

"I think Alaric keeps it in my dad's old office" Elena said.  
"The one that is locked and under surveillance?" Bonnie asked with a smile.

Elena smiled back at her.  
Both girls made room for Caroline and Rebekah that sat with them.

"What's with the compromising smiles?" Caroline asked taking a bite from her apple.  
"Are you busy tonight? It seems you are back on the popular wagon" Bonnie asked her.

Caroline smiled and waved at some girls that made sure she saw them.  
"Do we need to make an appointment from now on?" Elena pouted playfully.

Caroline giggled "Don't be silly; I will never be too busy for my friends"  
"What are we doing tonight?" Rebekah asked eager to be part of the secret the girls obviously shared.

Bonnie smiled "Breaking the law"  
Rebekah squinted.

"We'll be breaking in" Elena said quietly.  
"You are the Sheriff's daughter... right?" Rebekah asked Caroline.

The vampire laughed "That's why I'm so good at it"  
The girls laughed and Rebekah played with her ponytail, oh she was loving this town more and more with each day.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Kol asked Rebekah as she hurried down the stairs.  
"Out" she simply said.

"Can I go with you? I'm bored" he said from the couch.  
"Ummm... no" she said pulling her hair from under the leather jacket she just put on.

Kol grimaced "No one wants to go out with me"  
"You look adorable when you are pouting but I can't take you with me" she smiled and turned around leaving the house.

Kol sighed loudly and lay down on the couch, he heard a noise and shot his head "Are you going out?" he asked Elijah as the older vampire rushed to the door.

Elijah stopped and gave him a polite smile "I'm meeting the town's Mayor"  
"At this hour?" Kol asked with a suspicious face.

Elijah maintained his best smile "Mystic Falls has special working hours" he said and left before Kol was able to ask any more questions.

Kol huffed and grabbed a pillow, he placed his feet on the table and grimaced, Friday night and he was left alone in the huge house.

A noise gave him hope, he had forgotten about Klaus, he shot up, the pillow flying and jumped swiftly over the couch, he flashed and stopped in front of Klaus that was busy writing a message on his fancy cell.

He slowly raised his eyes to Kol standing there with a silly grin on his face "Yes Kol?"

"I'm going out with you" Kol said with determination.  
Klaus smiled "I'm more of a loner Kol"

"You are my big brother and I need the company" Kol said leaving no room for Klaus to refute him as he grabbed the keys to Klaus' car.

Klaus opened his arms protesting "You are not driving Kol" he yelled to the giggling reckless young Mikaelson running towards his precious expensive car.

* * *

Rebekah stopped by the corner in the street behind Elena "Why are we stopping?" she asked.  
Elena shushed her with her finger and pointed at the man pacing in front of the old building.

Rebekah frowned and whispered "He's the guard?"  
Elena nodded and moved back into hiding in that corner where he couldn't see them "We need to distract him long enough for Bonnie and Caroline to get inside"

Rebekah peaked and looked at the average human man "Why not compel him or just knock him out?"  
"He's on vervain, most of the town is and we can't go around making people unconscious. That leaves too many questions for the already over protective Alaric" Elena said shaking her head not believing Rebekah's suggestion.

"So what do we do then?" Rebekah asked clueless.  
Elena smiled hugely.

Rebekah pulled back "Why are you looking at me like that?"  
"He doesn't know you. He knows all of us" Elena said smiling happily.

Rebekah folded her arms mad "This is the only reason why you invited me into your little group isn't it?"

Caroline and Bonnie showed up on the other side of the street, ready to make a move as soon as the distraction was used properly.

Elena smiled and nodded at them, she looked at Rebekah again "Call it your initiation"  
Rebekah licked her lips; she looked at the man again and removed her leather jacket.  
She fixed her hair and gave Elena a long smile.

She turned the corner and walked smouldering towards the man, if this was a test, she could do this with her eyes closed.

She really wanted to get into this close circle, to belong.  
If this was just a way to get accepted, she easily could handle this.

She smiled at the man and innocently stopped by him "Good evening"  
The man staggered and nervously smiled "Night... can I help you miss?"

"I'm new in town and I was walking around and totally lost my way" she said smiling.  
The man completely bought into her charm and moved closer to her "Were you looking for some place in particular?"

Rebekah played with her hair and noticed Caroline sneaking in behind them with Bonnie closely on her heels.

"Do you recommend any place...? Wesley?" she asked looking at the name in his security uniform.  
The man melted at the way she said his name and openly flirted with her.

* * *

Bonnie used the light of her cell to guide them to the main room where Alaric kept all the files and documents he compiled over the last year.

Caroline used her strength to open one of the closed doors and smiled at Bonnie "Isn't Rick a sweetheart for having invited me in here once?"

Bonnie hover her cell over the files on the desk going through them quickly "Technically this building belongs to Elena... or Jenna, not sure"

Caroline tried to open one of the huge drawers in the steel cabinet and huffed when she realized it was locked.  
She looked for a clip and tore it apart using it to try to unlock it.

"It's not in here" Bonnie said after going through the huge mess on the desk.  
"I could use a little light over here Bon" Caroline said swiftly twisting the clip inside the lock.

Bonnie came closer and used her cell to help Caroline, she giggled when Caroline made a happy face with the clicking winning sound.

She opened the drawer and smiled at Bonnie "Voilà"  
"Aren't you the pride and joy of your mother" Bonnie teased her friend.

Caroline chuckled "I do my very best" she pulled her shoulders together adorably.  
Bonnie shook her head and helped Caroline go through all the old items stored in there "I don't know if I should be happy or not that Rick hasn't given into major technology yet"

"Definitely happy" Caroline said when she picked up the old diary.  
Bonnie returned her victorious smile and grabbed the diary, she placed into her bag and they both left the room making sure everything was as they had found it.

They reached the door and saw that the man was more than comfortable flirting with Rebekah that made her best to keep it going.

She saw the girls and touched the man's arm; it was enough to allow Bonnie and Caroline a chance to run for it unnoticed.

* * *

Rebekah shivered sitting on the edge of the stool by the bar "One more minute and he would have jumped me"  
Elena made a pouting sad face "Are you ok Bekah?"

Rebekah smiled and took a long sip from her beer "That was the most fun I had in years... I know I'm sad and pathetic" she shrugged.  
Caroline shook her head "You just didn't know the right people"

Rebekah laughed "So how did I do? Did I make it into your really super secret society club?"  
Elena shook her head "We aren't that freaky but we do have our own thing going on"

Rebekah dropped her now empty beer bottle and rested her elbow on the counter eyeing the girls.  
"What aren't you telling me?"

Caroline spoke in behalf of the others "You just made it through stage one of initiation, if you prove yourself enough I might just let you in on our little side plan"  
"You have a side plan?" Rebekah asked intrigued.

Caroline was appalled "Of course we do"  
Bonnie grabbed the full glasses on the counter that Matt brought them and happily handed one to each girl "But for now it's Shot time"

"This is your typical Friday night? Sneaking into places, snatching stuff and then getting massively wasted?" Rebekah asked emptying her glass easily.  
"Occasionally we get into a fight or two" Caroline shrugged.

"You are not the mean girls, you are the trouble makers" Rebekah said dropping her glass on the counter "So not only I managed to make friends with the wrong crowd, I actually get to have some fun. Not too shabby at all"

Bonnie handed her another drink and chuckled "Your brothers might not share your enthusiasm though" she pointed towards the two Mikaelsons stepping inside the Grill.  
Rebekah laughed "That's exactly why it's so brilliant"

"You are the rebel in the family then" Elena stated making a face as she took her second strong drink.  
"It's a very close completion with Kol" Rebekah said bringing her eyebrows together.

Caroline's cell started ringing and she tried to talk to her mother but the noise inside the Grill was really annoying so she signalled the girls she would take the call outside.

"Did I hear my name?" Kol said joining the girls with a beer in one hand and a pool stick in the other.  
Bonnie annoyingly rolled her eyes with his presence.

"Was just telling the girls how you love getting on Elijah's and Nik's nerves..." Rebekah said and smiled at Matt that was cleaning the counter.  
It took her a second to think about it but then she stood up and went over to him.

"Hey" she said resting over the counter and smiling at him.  
Matt folded his arms returning her smile "Hey yourself. I see that you are becoming really close to the girls"

"They are actually my very first... friends. I didn't really stay long enough in one place to make friends with others. I always had my brothers but that's not the same thing" she explained it to Matt sad.

Matt nodded "They can be a handful when they want to but they are the best friends we can find. They are loyal and they are always there when you need them"

"Are you alone Matt? Don't you have any more family?" she asked him.  
"I have a... absent mother and my sister was killed last year" he said remembering Vicky with sadness.

"All of you have lost family to this war..." she realized now that she thought about it.  
"She was Jeremy's girlfriend. He is the one that is having the hardest time dealing with all of this" Matt said looking over to one of the tables where Jeremy sat lost in his own miserable world.

Rebekah didn't take her eyes from Matt, he was plain hot.  
The really amazing blue eyes, the strong features, the muscled arms, the buff chest... she smiled wickedly and moved her knee lazily from one side to the other under the counter.

Matt caught her stare and awkwardly smiled at her, he felt like blushing, Rebekah was an Original Vampire; she surely had been able to have any guy she wanted, especially because she was just drop dead gorgeous.

"So you and Care are in the Cheerleaders now?" he asked resting his elbows on the counter as well.  
She lowered her gaze just enough to leave him wanting her not to "Yes... and we are taking back control of the school and town committee as well"

Matt nodded impressed "It was about time Care took her place back, I'm happy that she has you now to make her feel less alone in this town"

"I'm happy to be here as well" she said and finally looked back into his eyes, immediately getting lost in all that blue.

"It will be awesome having you cheering for me at the games" he ventured.  
Rebekah smiled hugely at him, yeah, she was hoping to scream his name all right.

* * *

"Anyone interested in a little pool game?" Kol asked the two remaining friends.

Elena looked at Bonnie and smiled "No thanks, I need to go home and take Jeremy with me" she said and walked over to her brother.  
Kol shrugged and looked at Bonnie.

She picked her bag "Not a chance in hell"  
Kol opened his arms surprised "What's with all the hate? I thought we had put this behind us already"

Bonnie smiled "Kol... don't be sad... there are so many other girls in this bar. I'm sure a few of them don't necessarily hate you"  
"No one _hates_ me..." he said huffing, the idea was preposterous.

She laughed softly "You really think you are God's sent gift to all women don't you?"  
Kol smiled smugly "Doesn't hurt that I look this good"

Bonnie laughed loud and heartedly "God help us all. In fact I'm barely containing myself from ripping your clothes off"  
Kol made a naughty face "You are a tease Bonnie Bennett"

"Good night Kol" she said serious and left.  
Kol held the stick close to his chin and smiled; he pressed his lips together and then went for another beer.

* * *

Caroline stepped outside and rolled her eyes a few times at all the annoying questions from her mother and finally agreed to go home in a few.

She turned hastily and faced a smiling Klaus resting against the wall; she took a deep breath and looked away.  
Klaus chuckled "Are you going to keep ignoring me?"

"Unless you need to use me again" she said sarcastically smiling and taking another step.  
Klaus pulled away from the wall and watched her with a shaking head "Are you mad at me because I said I would kill you if I had to?"

Caroline laughed and faced him "If I had a penny for all the times I heard that" she said and went inside.  
"Caroline..." he said in a sweet evil tone and she wavered for a second.

She licked her bottom lip and bit down on it hard, she faced him slowly "What do you want from me Klaus?"  
Klaus didn't seem to understand her question or he just didn't want to.  
He eventually smiled "That you don't get my sister into any trouble would be a wonderful start"

She shook her head "Rebekah is being what she is... a 17-year-old girl hanging out with her friends. Maybe for the first time in her life. But you are not answering my question"  
"I want to know you. Know who Caroline Forbes really is" he said serious for the first time tonight.

"Why?" she asked him sternly.  
"Why not?" Klaus shrugged.

Caroline rolled her eyes and shook her head mad, she turned to leave again and he reached out for her arm.  
She gulped down with his touch, she looked at him again.

"I'm leaving in two days, can't you allow me this?" he asked her softly.  
Caroline squinted "If you are leaving why would you want to know me? It makes no sense... none of this makes any sense" she shook her head.

"I'm sure I'm not the first man interested in you Caroline" he said with a hint of a smile.  
"You are the first natural sadistic killer... interested in me" she lingered on the second half of the sentence feeling strangely excited over the words.

Klaus smile was everything but innocent at this point "Is that what scares you? That someone like me could come to fancy someone like you?"  
Caroline clicked her teeth slowly "And how exactly would you describe me?"

Klaus licked his lips serious, his intense blue eyes covered her exquisite face and landed on her full red lips, he unconsciously took a step forward "I believe no one really knows you Caroline, they just know what you allow them to know"

She felt him close, way too close to her but she couldn't bring herself to move "I am not you" she whispered cursing herself for not coming off as strong as she meant.

"Are we that different Caroline? I will always do whatever it takes to keep my family safe, I don't care at what cost" he said almost as a whisper as well now.  
"I do" she said and looked away from him.

Klaus smiled and removed his hand from her arm and cupped her cheek instead, she gasped because she wasn't expecting it or the way her body reacted to it.

"For now but there will come a day where you will realize that you are willing to do anything for the ones you love because you and me are the same sweetheart"

Caroline cringed at his words and he smiled wider noticing her appalled reaction to them.  
He brought her face closer to him and all the emergency alerts went off inside Caroline, they were way too close now.

"We are both driven by the same thing, that relentless need to be loved and to belong" he said and she could swear he was about to lean over for a kiss.  
But he stroked her cheek and looked into her eyes smiling "Playing this by your rules love..."

Caroline felt her breath sharp and unsteady; she simply shook her head and felt cold and the weight of loneliness upon her when he removed his hand from her face, as much as she wanted to keep feeling him close, when he pulled away she was able to think again and she knew this was wrong.  
This was a mistake.

"Leave town Klaus..." she said and faced him pulling from her strength "And take your romantic drawings and promises of a world that isn't for me. Leave town and leave my life Klaus" she said and turned her back on him.

Klaus clenched his jaw letting her go.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Hard row - _The Black keys_


	8. Death Sentence

Caroline opened a new chocolate bar and offered it to Bonnie, the witch refused it and turned on her back, she dangled her foot in the air resting one leg over the other.

"Anything on Elijah yet?" Caroline asked eating happily.  
Bonnie turned another page on the old diary "Not yet, he mentions the Salvatore's though"

Caroline raised her eyebrow "From the old boarding house?"  
"Yeah, the creepy old manor outside of town"

"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat Bonnie?"  
"No, I'm good..." Bonnie said interested in her reading, there was a lot she didn't remember from the first time she read it.

"Ok... I need some cookies" Caroline said restless and got up from her bed quickly rushing to the kitchen.

Bonnie giggled; Caroline was having one of those hungry days.  
She turned the page and sat up with a jolt, had she miss this the first time around?

A page with a face in it, a drawing of the previous doppelganger.  
Her fingertip ran the name bellow the beautiful old page, Katerina Petrova.

"Hey Care... she looks just like Elena... with a lot of hair" Bonnie said and heard a cell starting to ring.  
"Bonnie, see who it is, I'm making popcorn" Caroline shouted from the kitchen.

"It's Rick" Bonnie said checking the cell.  
"I'll call him later" Caroline answered from the kitchen.

"Okay..." Bonnie said and widened her eyes as she saw another drawing face resting on her friend's night stand.  
She picked it up and read the note in it along with the number.

Caroline caught her as she walked in with a huge bowl of popcorn.  
Bonnie faced her friend a bit speechless; she wasn't sure what to say, so she just looked at Caroline.

The blonde one seemed to want to hide among her freshly made popcorn "He drew me a picture" she simply said realizing how silly she sounded.  
"I can see that" Bonnie said and sat back up on Caroline's bed.

Caroline stood in the middle of her room staring down the popcorn and chewing on her lip "I think he likes me" she said.  
"Ummmm ok..." Bonnie said "Like for real?" she then asked.

Caroline threw her hair behind her shoulder and nervously laughed "Like someone like Klaus would like someone like me like... for real"  
Bonnie squinted "Care... ok, this is a weird talk. What do you mean by that?"

Caroline widened her eyes laughing "Klaus is the 1000 year old vampire, hybrid, one of his kind and God knows how many women he has met during his really long life. Far more interesting and beautiful women. I'm a neurotic teenager that was turned a vampire enhancing all my wonderful insecurities"

Bonnie clasped her lips "You like him..."  
Caroline laughed heartedly "It's a stupid drawing and no, I do not like him. Seriously..." she said and grabbed the paper, opening the first drawer of her night stand and throwing it inside.

She closed the drawer with a bang and offered Bonnie some popcorn.  
"I'm good" Bonnie said with a teasing smile.

Caroline shoved some popcorn into her mouth ignoring the annoying smile on her friend's face.

* * *

"She's not answering my calls" Alaric told Jenna.  
"Are you sure it was the girls?" She asked handing him a mug of coffee.

"Not many knew where I kept all that stuff" he said sighing "I just thought we were over this, that they understood this isn't a game, this is dangerous stuff they are messing with"  
Jenna stroked his shoulders gently "They do... but they are also a bunch of teenagers who will do a bunch of teenager stuff"

Alaric took a sip from his coffee and shook his head "Have you tried Elena's cell?"  
"She's not answering. We should take that as sign of being guilty" Jenna smiled.

"I'm grounding her until she turns 80" he said serious.  
Jenna laughed and kissed his head "You can try"

Alaric looked at his mug and suddenly wished it was something else a lot stronger.  
He would kill for a beer right now, these girls were stealing away years of life from him.

"What did my innocent sweet sister do this time?" Jeremy asked coming inside the kitchen, preparing a huge bowl of cereal.

"Don't start" Jenna said handing him the milk.  
"Isn't it amazing that though we aren't really blood related we are so much alike?" he asked smiling and sitting across Alaric.

The teacher gave him a look "She has good grades and she's not into drugs. Yes, I can see the resemblance. It's scary"  
Jeremy laughed "She breaks in, steals documents and pictures. Sneaks out of the house and I think there was a stolen car incident last month?"

Jenna leaned over the kitchen table "That was Bonnie and they were running away from werewolves"  
Jeremy gave her a smile "I wish I had such good excuses"

Jenna smiled back at him "I wish you both would stop making my life so hard"  
"That's easy to solve, you can always walk out on us" he smirked back at her.

"Lose the attitude Jer" Alaric warned him.  
Jeremy shoved another spoon into his mouth "Ok... _dad_"

Alaric looked at Jenna and stood up "I'm going for a beer at the Grill, I'll be back soon" he told her and softly grabbed her neck, kissing her.  
Jenna answered his kiss and smiled at him, she waited until he was gone to slap Jeremy in the head.

"Hey... that's child abuse, I can report you..." he complained.  
Jenna gave him a mad look and took Alaric's mug to the kitchen sink.

She looked outside her window as he drove away, she had no idea how she would have survived this year without him, she wished everyone else recognized this as well.

* * *

Elena took a deep breath and knocked on the huge door before her eyes, she really had no idea how she had ended up here but now that she was here, there was no way back.

The door opened and she found the person she was looking for, the ever handsome Elijah.  
"Elena" he said with a huge smile.

She smiled back and played with her disconnected cell in her hand "Hi"  
"Rebekah isn't here... I think she went out with Matt" he warmly informed her.

Elena nervously fixed her Vervain bracelet "I'm here... to see you"  
Elijah smile became warmer and he moved so she could come in, Elena placed her long straight hair behind her ear and came inside the huge manor.

"This is huge" she said looking around.  
"My brother Niklaus..." he simply said raising his hand.

Elena laughed softly and followed Elijah to the living room, he only sat after her and she felt her heart race, damn, she was here now, she had to go through with it.

"What can I do for you Elena?" Elijah asked opening his suit jacket and getting comfortable.  
Elena twisted the cell in her hand "I want to know about Katerina"

Elijah's smile seemed to weaken slightly "That's a very long story to be told Elena"  
"I'd love to hear it from you" she replied softly.

Elijah took a deep breath "Katerina Petrova was as beautiful as she was deadly. You are a lot like her in that sense. Beautiful"  
Elena smiled blushing "How did she die?"

Elijah laughed a strong laughter that caught her attention "You can't jump straight to the end of the story Elena. That's not right"  
Elena laughed "I'm one of those that skips to the last page to know how the book ends"

He leaned over and entwined his fingers "The doppelganger purpose is to keep something locked away from the world"

"I was adopted. My parents knew about the doppelganger thing and they always told me the truth. I always knew I was different but they died before telling me everything. Jenna doesn't know anything, she had her own life before all this happened and all I know comes from Alaric. But... there isn't that much written information about this. Except from who actually lived it... at that time"

"What is it that you wish to know Elena?" Elijah asked her with a hint of a smile.  
"They are lying to me aren't they?" she asked him with a sigh.

Elijah wavered "About what?"  
She took a deep breath "Everyone keeps saying that whoever is behind all this needs me alive but it's a lie, isn't it?"

Elijah locked his wise eyes with her chocolate-brown ones and simply nodded.  
She did the same and asked for more "So he needs my blood to wake up or is that a lie as well?"

"Elena..." Elijah said feeling like all this might be too much for such a fragile girl like Elena.  
"Elijah please..." she begged him with the sweetest eyes ever.

He shook his head and hastily stood up "Maybe it's a good time for us to end this conversation"  
She hastily stood up "No... please Elijah tell me"

He turned his back on her, there was no reason to tell her all this, he remembered really well how the last doppelganger had reacted to the truth.

But Elena wasn't a quitter, hell, she had lost most of her family to this secret.  
She couldn't bear to be kept in the dark any more.

"It's my life, I have the right to know" she stated.  
Elijah turned around moved by the determination in her voice.

"My father is a werewolf" Elijah said and the words left Elena wobbly.  
"What?" she mumbled stunned.

"My father, Mikael was a werewolf and he was married to my mother, a normal human. But he was an ambitious man and he craved for more than the normal life we all led so we moved to Mystic Falls, a land that was rich in all the supernatural and where creatures were known to deal with the dark arts. In here he heard of a legend. A tale as old as the world itself. There would be a man one day that would join two worlds together, the day and the night"

"The pictures Alaric took from the cave" Elena quickly followed his lead.

Elijah nodded "It is said that this man will be the most powerful creature to ever walk this Earth. The allure in this drove my father mad, blinded by tales and prophecy's he became obsessed with finding the other creature described on the wall. There weren't any vampires at the time Elena, they were just scribbles on some cave but my father made the prophecy his own"

Elena sat on the arm of the couch intrigued and eager to know more, her sparkling eyes made Elijah smile and easily carry on.  
"That's not all the legend says..." he said with a smile this time, trying to shake the painful memories away.

"What happened?" she asked sounding like a little kid invested in a story by bedtime.  
"The legend says that this man is forever incomplete until he finds his other half. Someone from the other world"

Elena squinted "A vampire?"  
Elijah nodded "The legend spoke of uniting two different worlds, werewolves and vampires, day and night. He was the sun, bound to fear the full moon and she was the moon, bound to fear the sun, together they would complete each other and become equals"

She stood up and took a few steps trying to fit everything together inside her mind "So Mikael was a werewolf but your mother was a human... how did he do that?"  
A sad aura took over him "My father used dark magic to turn her into the first vampire, she turned us all after that"

"But Klaus..." she tried to put all the pieces together, proving it to be a hard task so far.  
"Niklaus is the only one of us that was passed on with the werewolf gene in him and when he killed my mother his curse was triggered" Elijah simply said.

Elena gulped down at the cold tone "He became a hybrid"  
"The very thing my father wanted to be"

"That means..." she gasped.  
"Niklaus is the man in the legend. The true irony in all of it, is that my father by destroying our family wanting to be something he craved above all, created the very thing he wanted to be. He made the prophecy possible by turning Niklaus into the first Hybrid"

"So basically Klaus is on the path to be the most powerful and feared creature in the world... good to know" she sat down again feeling dizzy.

Elijah chuckled softly lowering his head "Niklaus doesn't believe any of this. He desperately tries to run away from everything that might prove it right. Especially the vampire ladies that might fall into that place in the prophecy" he said with a smile.

Elena locked her eyes with his.  
Oh.

"I personally believe in the prophecy Elena, I think he is destined for something bigger than all of us" he honestly told her.

"And where do I fit in; in all of this?" she asked him with a sigh.  
"My father has been under a spell, rotting inside a coffin, for centuries now, waiting to become a vampire, a hybrid like Niklaus. It was your first doppelganger that was fed to us all except him. We all came from your bloodline and he needs to drink your blood to become one of us"

"But you don't want that" Elena said quickly.  
"He has been trapped inside a tomb for over 1000 years, what do you think he will do once he gets out? Kill us all, starting with his true opponent, Niklaus"

"Then what's stopping you from killing me?" she asked him bluntly.  
"Nothing" Elijah said neutrally.

Elena nodded "Very well, then what happened with Katerina?"  
"She was taken from us, from under my protection and before they fed her to Mikael, she killed herself" he said in the same neutral way.

It somehow bothered Elena that he was being cold about this now but she couldn't expect much more out of all this.

She meant nothing to him or to any of them.  
She was nothing more than a spell device.

"So I guess I could count on you to kill me before they actually come for me" she added.  
"I hope it never gets to that Elena but... I won't be making the same mistake twice" he said quietly and firmly.

Elena looked into his eyes knowing he was telling her the truth.

* * *

"Are you sure about this? This place looks just like every old abandoned and creepy haunted house. Used in all horror movies" Caroline asked Bonnie with a look.

Bonnie giggled "Are you afraid?" she teased her stepping inside the old house.  
"Yeah... right" Caroline scorned but chewed on her lip, the dark mansion was spooky.

"I know that it probably won't even be in here any more but..." Bonnie said and shook the flashlight in her hand, it was failing her.  
Caroline gave her a look, Bonnie giggled again amused.

They ventured through the mansion and looked for any signs of what they looked for.  
Eventually they decided to go upstairs.

"You really think they kept the diaries?" Caroline asked.  
"Alaric got this one from here so maybe there are more of them. I'd like to know more about this Katerina and Elijah thing... unlike some of you I don't trust the Originals and knowing more about them won't hurt" Bonnie said with a huge teasing smile.

Caroline rolled her eyes and opened the first door she found, she gasped when she was pinned against the wall inside the dark room; it took her a second to react and another to come out of the shock of who had attacked her.

"Get off me" she finally reacted decently and shoved the smirking bastard away from her face.  
"What are you doing here love? Following me?" he teased her playfully.

"Oh shut up Klaus" she snapped and fixed her clothes and her hair.  
"Are you ok?" Bonnie reluctantly asked Caroline coming inside the room.

"I'm fine" Caroline huffed.  
"Joy, we have guests" Kol said joining them with a few items in his hands.

Bonnie grimaced realizing he held the diaries she wanted.  
"What are _you _doing here?" Caroline asked Klaus bothered.

"Doing an old friend a favour" he said and shrugged.  
She made a confused face "Translation?"

Klaus smiled "Stefan Salvatore is an old friend"  
"You have friends?" she raised her eyebrow.

Klaus took his hand over his heart over dramatically "Of course I do"  
She tilted her head "Whatever" she let out unimpressed and not even slightly convinced.

"So he asked you to... read his old diaries?" Bonnie asked following the suspicious tone of her friend.  
"I'm short on books to read" Kol said with a huge smile.

Bonnie looked at Caroline and both friends left the room upset.  
"Leaving so soon?" Kol asked mockingly sad.

Caroline reached the front door when she saw Mason, she shook her head surprised.  
"I wasn't expecting to find you here" she told the smiling man.

"I'm meeting them" Mason explained pointing at the two Mikaelson brothers coming out of the house now.

Bonnie couldn't take her eyes from the diaries that Kol placed inside Klaus' car; she didn't miss the stupid smirk on his face as he did so.  
All her suspicion alerts were on high note right now.

Caroline glanced over to Klaus that met the werewolf Alpha "Have you spoken to the Mayor?"  
"Yes, everything is settled..." he said losing his smile when he saw Kol.

Kol leaned over the car and waved at him.  
Mason tried to ignore him "Are they arriving soon?" he asked Klaus.

"Yes, I'll bring the workers tomorrow to start fixing it" he said removing a piece of rotten wood from the door "This looks awful, like it's about to fall down entirely"

"The house hasn't been occupied for a century or so" Mason told him.  
"I know" Klaus said smiling and dusting off his hands.

"I'll be leaving tomorrow but the workers will stay and get everything ready for Stefan, he arrives within the next week" Klaus said and moved towards his car.  
Mason grabbed his arm as he went by him; Klaus looked down on the firm grip and smiled at Mason.

"Will you be taking him with you?" Mason moved his head referring to Kol.  
Klaus squinted and moved his arm, slowly getting away from his grip "If Kol wants to stay, he will stay"

"He should go with you... he makes the others nervous" Mason said in a low voice.  
Kol burst into a smug laughter.

Klaus smiled at his brother and then faced Mason "Good. They should know boundaries"

"It was hard enough to make them back down from killing him, it won't be easy to keep them away if he stays here with that attitude" Mason was serious like Caroline hardly saw him.

She also saw the really cocky vampire and she was sure he was trouble and he would be impossible to keep under control after Klaus left town.

She looked at Klaus that defied Mason openly but all she could think about now was his words.  
He was really leaving town.

She bit her bottom lip, why did she even feel bothered about it?  
Hadn't she told him to leave town just hours before?

"I don't really care if he kills every last one of you" Klaus simply shrugged.  
"I'll keep him under control if I have to" Mason shouted to Klaus as he walked away.

Klaus smiled wider "Good luck with that, none of us has managed to do so"  
"Klaus" Mason called mad.

Klaus slowly turned around to face him.  
"I won't keep looking the other way"

"I didn't ask you to" Klaus simply replied.  
"I kept this town in peace and I won't throw all that hard work away just because your kid brother is a spoiled brat that thinks he can get away with everything he wants" Mason pressed on mad.

Caroline was worried; this was getting slightly out of hand.

"Well _Gandhi_... maybe you should stop being such a peace lover and actually do something" Klaus defied him even more.

Mason clenched his jaw "You just arrived to town and think you can take over everything. You start killing my werewolves; threaten the humans that live here, mess with our lives... flirt with our women" Mason linger on that last part.

"Oh... so that's the real issue here, I found it a bit strange the sudden courage fit" Klaus said and slowly looked at Caroline.

She looked down feeling Bonnie's eyes on her as well.  
Deep down inside she always knew why Mason protected her so much.

"Stay away from Caroline" Mason said serious.  
Caroline took a deep breath; this was definitely getting out of hand.

Klaus shook his head smiling "I don't understand... this girl is constantly under siege because of _your _wolves, she was killed under _your _watch and you stand there blinded by silly jealousy ordering _me _to stay away from her? I'm deeply sorry but I seem to have missed something"

Mason growled "I think you understand perfectly Klaus. I think it's time you leave town and that you take your family with you. You aren't welcome here any more. There's no way we can all live here and get along, not without killing each other in the process"

Klaus' smile was so dark that Caroline realized Mason was pushing him too far.  
She took a step and as soon as she did so, Klaus drilled her with his stare, his smile was gone and she gasped knowing something really bad was about to happen.

"I didn't know she was spoken for" he said furiously looking at her.  
She gulped down, she wasn't, why was he even so mad? At her...

Mason took a step closer to Klaus "Stay away from her, she doesn't need your protection or your advances on her"  
"She can tell me herself" Klaus said still looking at Caroline.

She felt like she couldn't even move because his gaze was too intense on her, his rage building up and even by the calm way he spoke she could sense this was just the still before the storm.

Mason moved and stood before Klaus cutting him off, Klaus' twisted smile returned to his features "I see... so you are defending your _turf_"  
"Klaus" Caroline finally spoke, she called out his name mad; she was no one's turf.

"Leave Mystic Falls" Mason ordered Klaus snarling at him now.  
"I will... don't worry. You can have her" Klaus said unable to keep his rage tamed.

Caroline opened her mouth appalled but wasn't able to react in time when Mason went at Klaus raging, Klaus caught his advance easily and coldly looked at Caroline as he laced his arm strongly around Mason's neck.

The werewolf was no real match to him and turned a shade of red as Klaus tighten his grip around him.  
He never took his eyes away from Caroline that walked to him now.

"Let him go Klaus" she asked him.

If there was one thing Klaus really didn't like was not getting his way and this idiotic excuse of a leader in his hands struggling for air was just ticking him off.  
Even more for thinking he was any sort of real competition.

Klaus' next move was as swift as it was clean; he snapped Mason's neck so loudly it made Caroline flinch.  
Bonnie covered her mouth in shock and even Kol straightened himself, pulling away from the car.

"What did you do?" Caroline asked in plain shock as Mason's dead body slid to the ground.  
Klaus remained cold and ruthless "I don't enjoy when people push me, I tend to retaliate the only way I know"

She shook her head, feeling these stupid tears fall, it had been so long since she last cried and here she stood before the sadistic, ruthless and evil Klaus doing so.

"Oh my God..." Bonnie whispered and looked at Caroline, she walked unsteadily to Mason and made sure he wasn't breathing.  
She looked up at Klaus "Do you even know what you just did?" she asked him on the verge of panic.

Klaus finally took his eyes away from Caroline and looked at Bonnie "I killed a useless Alpha" he said unfeelingly and turned around.

"You just signed my death sentence Klaus" Caroline said, her voice hoarse already from the tears and the harsh realisation of his actions.

Klaus stopped and lowered his head slightly showing signs of actually caring.

"With Mason dead, there's nothing stopping them for killing me and tomorrow is full moon" she said fighting her stubborn tears.  
"Then I suggest you stay inside" he said and walked to his car.

Kol looked at the girls, his cool stance gone; even for him this had been unexpected.

"Jealous... much?" he asked his brother when Klaus closed his door.  
Klaus licked his lips serious and then drove away "Shut up Kol"

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Conscious Killer -_ Black Rebel Motorcycle Club_


	9. Redemption

"Hey mom" Caroline said coming inside their kitchen slowly.

Liz smiled at her daughter "I'm making... dinner" she said with a strange face as the gooey substance started boiling inside the pan "Sort of... maybe you should order some pizza later"

Caroline smiled at her mother and moved fast, she pulled her into a tight hug, Liz staggered and slowly hugged her daughter back "It's... just pizza sweety" she said unsure of Caroline's sudden demonstration of affection.

Caroline fought a sniffle, she pulled back from her mother's arms and shook her curls "I love you mom" she simply said and walked away.  
"I... love you too..." Liz mumbled and was left with the now burning food.

Caroline closed the door to her house knowing this was her last night, there was no way she would make it past tonight.

She walked towards her silver car and looked up to the sky; her executioner would be shining bright in just a few hours.

It was only a question of time now but she was going to make the best out of it.

* * *

Bonnie smiled at Matt that pressed his lips nervously "You can cut the tension with a knife" she told Matt.  
Matt leaned over the counter "Everyone is on edge right now, you can tell that something is about to break"

"A few necks I hope" Kol said joining the two whispering friends.  
"What are you doing here?" Bonnie asked him hastily.

Kol frowned "I like this pub..." he said naturally.  
Bonnie sighed "Right now it's not a good time to chase women, the werewolves are about to eat everyone alive"

"Then what are you doing here?" he asked her pulling an intrigued face.  
"Witches are somehow seen as neutral... and they are afraid of us so they don't really mess with me" she explained Kol noticing the small gathering in one of the tables.

"But you should still not be here... with what happened to Mason, things are about to get ugly" Matt told her and left to grab a couple of beers for them.

Bonnie picked hers when he got back and looked at Kol "I hope your brother was smart enough to leave town already"

Kol picked his beer and pressed his lips "Well... Nik is... Nik"  
Bonnie squinted and felt the mood inside the bar change as Klaus walked in, the silence was scary; he slowly walked unaffected by the stabbing looks headed his way.

He reached the counter and smiled at Matt "Can I have a bourbon mate?"  
Matt looked at Bonnie and Kol and then nodded; he was shaking slightly as he poured the drink.

"Thank you" Klaus said and rested his elbow on the counter, drinking smugly and eyeing every hateful look the werewolves sent his way.

"Your brother has a death wish" Bonnie whispered on her corner.  
Kol smiled and took another sip from his cold drink "He's not the only one"

Bonnie practically fell to the ground when Caroline came inside The Grill.

"Oh Jesus Christ, I begged her to stay home" Matt threw the towel on the counter mad.  
The sound of the heels from her knee-length black boots echoed as she steadily walked towards the counter where Klaus waited for her with an impressed look.

"Hey Matt" she spoke slowly but with all the silence it was like shouting.  
"Care... what are you doing here?" he asked her feeling all the stares on them.

"Double Vodka. Straight" she asked him ignoring his question.  
Matt knew when a battle was lost with Caroline, he poured the drink and she gave Klaus a side angry look as she passed him.

Klaus didn't hide his smile as she did so.  
She took her drink and sat alone in one of the tables; she took a deep breath and waited.

"This isn't good... this isn't good..." Bonnie mumbled to herself.  
Kol spotted the group from before talking and looking their way, he turned his back on them gently taking hold of Bonnie's elbow.

She looked down on his hand frowning.  
"Move..." he hissed at her.

She did as he asked her and they moved to the pool tables, the group took over the table next to them and Kol grabbed one of the sticks in his table, never taking his eyes from the group of boys.

Caroline smiled when Brady sat in front of her "Hi Brady"  
"Dead girl walking" he taunted her smiling.

She licked her lips, her smile bigger now "How do you want to do this?"  
"In an hour I'll begin to shift and I can't wait to finally come for you" He bluntly told her.

"So this ends tonight" she simply said and finished her drink.  
Brady folded his arms over the table and leaned over to her "I'm happy that Original killed Mason"

"I kind of got that from the lack of tears around here" she replied.  
Brady smiled darkly "Mason was a coward in love with you. Now that he is gone... there is an Alpha spot open and freedom to do whatever I want with you"

Caroline pushed the empty glass in the table towards him "I hope you not expecting an easy fight"  
Brady pursed his lips "It would be a shame to do it differently"

"Why do I bother you so much Brady?" Caroline asked him pulling her eyebrows together slightly.  
"You are a vampire" he simply answered and got up "See you soon Caroline"

She clicked her teeth together inside her mouth tense, real soon.

* * *

"Have you seen Jeremy? We were supposed to watch _Serenity_ tonight" Elena asked Jenna sitting at their couch.  
Jenna shook her head trying to focus on her college assignment.

Elena sighed and went to the kitchen pouring a glass of cold water; she swallowed it down harshly when Alaric came inside and sat on the table looking serious.  
"I'm in trouble..." she said knowing he would nod like he did.

He moved his head telling her to sit across him and she did so slowly.  
"What are you girls up to?" he asked her without going around the bush.

Elena played with her bracelet "Nothing much..." she said and looked at him trying to look innocent.  
Alaric dropped a few pictures on the table "I'm missing a few of these" he said.

Elena slowly took one and instantly recognized it.  
Caroline and her had stolen a couple of them from Alaric's office back at School.

"What could you possibly want with the pictures I took from the old Fell's Church?"  
Elena returned him the picture "We asked Bonnie to search in her Gran's library anything that could tell us about the symbol"

"What symbol?" Alaric asked looking at the picture.  
Elena searched the other pictures with her eyes, she pointed at it with her finger when she saw it on one of them "This one"

Alaric took the picture and looked at it, surprised that he had never noticed it before, he looked at Elena questioning her.  
"She thinks it has something to do with Mikael"

Jenna joined them on the table and sternly did what she barely ever did, imposed herself as the authority figure.  
"Tell us everything you have been up to Elena" she demanded.

Elena clutched the bracelet in her hand, knowing there was very little she could hide from them "Caroline, Bonnie and I have been trying to open the tomb below the ruins of the old Fell's Church"

"Why?" Jenna asked.  
"Because we think that's where Mikael is trapped" she said hoping it would be enough to keep Alaric and Jenna busy.

The stunned look on their faces and the way they were speechless made her smile inside.  
Their main plan was still safe for now.

* * *

The Grill was slowly becoming emptier, only a few human remained, as well as Caroline in her table and Klaus at the bar avoiding each other on purpose, neither even acknowledging each other.

Kol smiled at the peculiar situation and looked at Bonnie "So my sister isn't coming tonight? To hang out with her besties?"

Bonnie dangled her feet sitting on the edge of the pool table "She wanted to study, she feels that she's a bit behind"

Kol smiled lazily and came closer to Bonnie "I hope you didn't send her on a mission to find the diaries I kept from the Stefan"  
Bonnie smiled playing his game "Why would I do that?"

"She wants to be part of your gang desperately, she's willing to do anything at this point, even defy her family"  
"For what I heard, she doesn't really need a reason to do that" she said using her best smile.

Kol chuckled "I burned them all, so she won't find anything"  
"Then you have nothing to worry about" she shrugged.

He took a step closer to her and Bonnie admired his soft features, his perfect messy hair, the hazel in his eyes.  
"Can I be a part of your little exclusive club as well?" he asked her seductively.

Bonnie smiled and looked away from his eyes "I don't know, what are you willing to do?"  
Kol smirked "Anything that involves removing our clothes"

Bonnie unexpectedly laughed, she actually laughed and he felt smug because he took that as a point for him.  
She shook her head "Do you ever think about anything else Kol?"

"I spent 3 centuries inside a coffin... what do you think?" he raised his eyebrow.  
"Oh My God" Bonnie laughed harder and they both felt at ease around each other.

It was a good feeling and they both rolled their eyes at the same time when they were interrupted by the boys on the other table.

"You are distracting us" one of them said.  
"Then leave mate" Kol dryly told him.

Cesare snarled at him and Bonnie realized the time, she had been distracted herself and missed it.  
"Shouldn't you be trapped inside someone's cellar right now?" she asked him surprised.

The other three boys joined him.  
"Rules have changed witch. We are all free to do whatever we want, to change _where_ we want until the new Alpha takes over" he told her smiling.

"There are humans in here" she murmured to him and came down from the table facing him.  
"You worry about your precious humans; I have better things to do" Cesare looked at Kol.

Kol snapped the stick in his hand on the table and it broke in two, he smiled at Cesare "Fine by me darling"  
Cesare gave him a look but backed down, he looked at the others and they all left the Grill.

"Crap" Bonnie cursed loud.  
Kol looked at her "What is it? You were in the mood for a fight? I like women with a taste for violence"

"No Kol" Bonnie snapped and pointed at one of the tables "Caroline is gone"  
Kol looked at the counter, so was Klaus.

He grabbed Bonnie's elbow again and led her to the front door.  
"Will you stop manhandling me like I'm livestock?" she snapped mad.

Kol stopped for a second and then smiled a truly honest warm smile "I'm walking you home Bonnie"  
She shook her head slightly "Why?"

"I could say that I'm attracted to you but you would be mad at me again. So I'm just going to say that it's on my way home and that it's a full moon today and things are shaky around here, you shouldn't be walking alone"  
Bonnie smiled at his awkward reply "Ok" she softly said.

Kol smiled and opened the door for her; Bonnie chuckled and shook her head.  
Moron.  
Hot, sweet, horny, stupid moron.

* * *

Caroline walked down the quiet street; it was too quiet and too deserted.  
There was literally no one around and she shoved her hands inside her black coat, she looked around before crossing the street to the other side.

She felt like she was being followed and she was almost certain of it, she quickened her step towards the cemetery and made it through the gates, someone carelessly followed her and she grabbed him when he came her way, shoving him against a huge tomb stone.

Jeremy flinched when he saw her fangs this close to him "It's me Caroline"  
"Jeremy" Caroline straightened herself letting him go "What are you doing?"

"I saw you leaving the Grill and I was curious to why you were walking this way instead of going home, so I followed you" he said fixing his hood.  
Caroline squint at the way he spoke slowly and grabbed his head, she dragged him under the lamp-post and checked his eyes "Are you high?"

Jeremy smiled numbly.  
"Oh perfect" she snapped.

"So what's the deal with the spy attitude?" he pressed on.  
Caroline looked around worried "You shouldn't be out here, its full moon Jeremy and there are a few wolves out there for sure"

"Because they killed Mason? They are pissed over that" he said rubbing his nose sleepily.  
"What are you doing with your life Jeremy?" she asked him gently.

"Nothing" he shrugged.  
She shook her head "Don't throw your life away because you lost someone Jer"

"Wasn't just Vicky..." he said looking on the ground.  
"Come on, I'll take you home, your sister is going to freak out when she finds out that you aren't home" she softly spoke.

Jeremy didn't protest which was a blessing for Caroline; they walked slowly through the cemetery.  
"So why are you here?" he asked her.

"I want to be as far away from home as possible when Brady comes for me" she quietly answered him.  
Jeremy froze in his way, she smiled looking at him "Don't worry, I'll get you home before that happens" she said.

But a loud snarl echoed through the sinister place and she looked past Jeremy, two large wolves stood there sizing them.

"They are just behind me, aren't they? I can hear them breathing" Jeremy said and felt like the fear was making him suddenly very sober.

"Walk really, really slow towards me Jeremy..." she told him slowly.  
Jeremy gave a step and the largest wolf growled at him, he stopped right away.

Caroline tensed, this wasn't the plan; she was going to lure Brady into a neutral empty place where she could make sure there wouldn't be any collateral damage.

She looked at Elena's baby brother and quickly decided he would not be her, he would not be caught in the line of fire.

She flashed and stood in front of him protecting him, the smallest wolf made its move towards them, she managed to kick him away.

The mad snarl that came from the large wolf was scary, the smallest one shook his head and came for a second round.  
This time it came straight for Jeremy and the boy yelped "Caroline..." he called worried.

She moved and grabbed the wolf that launched at him furiously, she shoved him away but was taken by surprise when the big one joined the attack, she found herself on the ground fighting one and kicking him away enough to prepare for the other one that came with its teeth seeking her death.

Jeremy looked around and picked up a rock, he threw it as strong as he could at the big wolf and he made a hurting sound as he began to bleed from the head.

Jeremy tensed because he was next by the way the large wolf looked at him; he gulped down and grabbed another rock.

Caroline flashed and kicked the wolf in the head like professional football players do and grabbed Jeremy's arm.

"Run" she yelled at him.  
They both made it out of the gates and she ordered him to go home.

"How about you?" he asked worried.  
"I can run a lot faster than you. I'll be fine, you go" she told him.

Jeremy nodded and started sprinting, getting away as fast as he could.  
Caroline looked back to the cemetery but the wolves were gone, their work was done.

* * *

Klaus parked the car in front of her house.  
He had no idea why he was here, why he had turned the car towards here on his way out-of-town.

He clutched the wheel eager to know why he always ended here; he really had no reasonable excuse.

He looked at her house and saw light, she was home; she was going to dismiss him like she always did so why bother?

He turned the key and his car rumbled powerfully under his hands, he was being weak and letting some silly feeling rule him.

Klaus stepped his foot on the gas pedal and prepared to leave but something held him back, this nagging idiotic, weak human feeling.  
He looked towards her house and it consumed him, he was _worried_.

He couldn't shake it, the need to know if she was alright.  
He hastily turned the engine off again and opened his door; he took large quick steps to her front door.

He had a plan, he was going to make sure that she had made home safe and then leave town, leave this one pony God forgotten town and never look back.

If they wanted to stay here, let them, he was going to Paris or London.  
Madrid was amazing before summer, so that's what he was going to do.

He knocked on her door fast, he wanted to get this over with, just check on her and then forget about her and everyone.  
He was better off alone anyway.

Caroline opened the door surprised to see him here, he found.  
"What do you want?" she asked him a lot more softly than he expected.

"I'm leaving" he said without thinking.  
It happened a lot with her, saying things he didn't want or expected.

"Good riddance" she said but he could tell she meant it to come off a lot more strongly than it did.

He was done here, was he not?  
He had checked on her, she was alright and alive.

Inside her home she was safe, no one could come in uninvited and besides he didn't care about it any more.  
No, scratch that, he had never cared about her.

"Good bye Caroline" he said catching her eyes one last time, finding the need to take that one memory along with him.  
"Good bye Klaus" she said and then her sweet tired tone caught his attention.

So did her eyes, they looked sad and different and Klaus wasn't sure how he missed that detail before and how to feel about that.

Wait... feel.  
Why was he feeling at all?  
How come this girl who stood before him made him actually... _feel_.

"Are you alright Caroline?" it was stronger than him, he couldn't help it.  
The words seemed to come to life when he was around her, having life of its own and leaving the safety of his armour.

She licked her lips and smiled weakly "I'm fine Klaus. Take care of yourself" she said and moved to close the door but he was quicker.  
"What happened?" he asked stopping her movement with his hand.

Caroline looked at his strong hand blocking her door "Nothing" she said.  
He pierced her with his eyes, there was something here triggering all of his senses.

"There's nothing to tell you" she said looking down now and he noticed how her voice was becoming weaker by the minute.  
"Tell me" he ordered her.

Caroline looked into his astonishing blue eyes and smiled "Why would you even care Klaus?"  
The question was simple, yet powerful.

"I don't know" he answered honestly.  
Caroline smiled tiredly and tried to push the door but he didn't budge an inch.

She looked at him and this one look seemed to set him on pure fire, the strong, fierce death-defying look she pulled off when she needed to was gone, there was only a scared, fragile, vulnerable 17-year-old girl looking at him now.

"Go away Klaus" she pleaded him.  
"Why?" he asked her on edge, knowing she was hiding something enormous from him.

She rested her head against the door moaning.  
"Why are you in pain?" that wave of concern ripping through him again.

"Just leave me alone Klaus, please" she said and he noticed how her colour was fading, leaving her beautiful face.  
"Caroline, what happened tonight?" he asked her breathing hard.

She ran her hand through her forehead; she was sweating now and felt dizzy.  
"I'm fine..." she mumbled and tried to keep her balance but instead staggered faintly.

She moved away from the door and shakily fell to her knees.

"Caroline?"

The worried tone to his voice made her smile; maybe she was having the side effects already, the fever and the delusional images.

"Damn..." she grabbed her tummy bending over "I thought I would have more time..." she mumbled. "Time to at least say goodbye to my mom" she said feeling tears.

And then Klaus finally saw it, when she moved to sit on the floor; her hair fell behind her shoulder exposing the wolf bite on her neck.

She pulled her knees together, lacing her arms around them "I came home because I wanted to say goodbye. It took Rose longer to react to the infection..." she spoke mostly to herself now.

Klaus moved to get inside but he was stopped by that invisible wall, he couldn't get in because he had never been invited inside her home.

"Rose was older than you, you are just a newborn Caroline; you will die within the next minutes" he said pushing his hands on the invisible barrier that blocked his access inside.

She smiled closing her eyes fighting a loud scream of pain "Cookie for Brady..."

"Caroline listen to me, you need to let me in" he told her hastily.  
She looked at him "I'm dying Klaus but I'm not stupid. My mother lives in here, I can't invite you in"

"Sweetheart, ask me inside" he said in that sweet velvet voice that messed with her.  
"You are just playing me now... I won't give in to you, so just leave Klaus" she told him with a loud pant.

Klaus shook his head "Caroline, invite me in" he said determinedly in that deep voice of his.  
"I'm a vampire, it's not my house" the pain was starting to consume her.

Klaus punched the invisible impenetrable wall.  
Caroline was shaking but she had to say goodbye to her mother, she took her phone and dialled the number.

"Mom?" she whispered and then clenched her lips suppressing another scream, she moaned in pain and choked on something, she moved and coughed, something was blocking her air way.

She rested her palms on the floor and coughed again letting it out finally.  
A pool of blood formed on the floor as she gush it out unwillingly and the phone fell from her weak hand.

"Ask your mother to let me in" Klaus pressed from the door.

She cleaned her mouth recovering a little bit, Klaus was still there, trying desperately to get inside.  
Moving like a mad dog in front of her opened front door.

"Go... away" she breathed out breathlessly.

Klaus pressed his palms hard on the door frame "Bloody hell, listen to me Caroline, I need to be invited in" he yelled at her furious.  
"No" she said clicking her teeth together mad as well with his persistence.

"Don't do this Caroline" he begged her, he tried to push himself through the door foolishly believing his sheer determination would be enough.

_"Caroline? What's happening?" _her mother yelled from the phone.  
She shook her head softly staring at the blood "So this is how Caroline Forbes will go down, gushing out blood and with a rabid hybrid on her doorstep" she whispered and took the phone.

"Sweetheart... look at me" he tried one more time, his voice as soft as she had never heard him before.

She slowly turned to face him, his expression was breathtaking; he was looking at her like no one had ever looked at her.  
There was something she couldn't explain in the way he looked at her.

"I can help you Caroline" he said in a voice that was becoming poison to her.  
Especially the way he said her name.  
"But it has to be now Caroline" he added feeling as vulnerable as she looked.

"Mom..." she whispered staggering a bit "... can Klaus come inside our home?"  
_"Why?" _Liz asked worried.

Caroline closed her eyes weak "Because I'm dying mom..."  
_"What? Can he help you? I'll be right home but... yes, he can" _Liz voice echoed louder as Caroline's arm slumped letting the phone fall.

Klaus flashed inside and caught her on time as she fainted.  
He held the limp body of Caroline in his arms, he checked her wound and it was spreading fast, becoming deadly by the second.

Then he unexpectedly did what he craved for, he trailed her exquisite face with his fingertips, he trailed every curve, every soft line and smiled, Caroline was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He scooped her weak body into his arms and got up, she flattered her eyes open and looked at him "What are you doing?" she mumbled.  
"Saving your life" he whispered as he carried her, searching for her bedroom.

Klaus sat on her bed, cradling Caroline gently in his lap; he cupped her delicate cheek in his strong hand and stroked her soft skin.  
She licked her lips fighting consciousness again "Klaus... I didn't say you were allowed to touch me"

Klaus laughed such a sweet innocent laughter that she smiled slowly opening her eyes to face him.  
They looked at each other in silence for a little while not really knowing what was really happening here, just that something was definitely happening between them, something neither was willing to explain just yet.

Klaus moved and pulled the long sleeve to his grey shirt up, exposing his wrist to her, she pulled her perfect eyebrows together.  
"You need to drink" he said into the dark of her room, sounding like the devil taunting her.

Caroline licked her bottom lip because she was giving in; she was falling for his seductive ways and voice.  
She closed her eyes and did the unthinkable, she trusted Klaus again without questioning him.

She took his wrist and sank her fangs slowly into it.  
Caroline didn't miss the intimacy here, he wasn't offering her his blood in a glass or cutting his wrist open so he could drip the blood to her.

No, Klaus was offering her his wrist untouched, she could hurt him, rip it open if she wished.  
But he was trusting her as well and personally feeding her his blood.

She didn't miss any of this just like she didn't miss the soft moan that escaped his lips when he felt her lips on his flesh and then her fangs piercing sweetly through the thick skin there taking his blood.

Klaus closed his eyes and rested his chin on top of her head as she drank from him, she released his wrist and avoided looking at him feeling somewhat embarrassed for her recent action and for what being this close to him was doing to her.

She slowly moved to lay on her bed but felt dizzy and grabbed her head, Klaus gently pulled her to him and sat against the wall, Caroline nested against him and relaxed in his arms.

All these years desperately seeking for intimacy and he found it on the breathtaking cheerleader cradled on his chest now resting after taking his blood.

"How did you know it would work?" she asked quietly.

Klaus smiled because her breath tickled him and her hand _casually _rested over his necklaces "I didn't..." he said low "Elijah believes that I'm part of a prophecy and that... my blood would be able to heal a wolf bite on a vampire..." he took his time "I never gave it to anyone before. Never cared... enough" he said resting his head against the wall thinking about what all this meant.

"Thank you..." Caroline said softly and closed her eyes falling asleep exhausted against his chest; she knew he would be gone when morning came but for now she loved feeling him this close.

She blamed the aftermath of her fever and close encounter with death.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

We don't eat - _James Vincent McMorrow  
_  
Wide Awake - _Katy Perry _(suggested by Caroline)


	10. You are welcome

Caroline woke up with a soft moan, she felt like she had run the dam marathon, everything felt numb.

She took her hand to her neck and touched her wound; there was nothing there, just the smoothness of her skin and the memory of Klaus.  
She moved on her bed noticing he had left her covered in a blanket and she rolled her eyes, how sweet of him.

By the corner of her eye she caught something, a piece of paper on her pillow; she slowly sat up and took it into her hands, her eyes taking in her face yet again.

Klaus had been drawing her sleeping and she sighed at the detail, the exquisite way he captured her sleeping, even the way she rested her hand next to her face.

Caroline gulped down, this was the man who would easily draw people sleeping and then kill them in their sleep but she smiled, because under the drawing made on a ripped page from her notebook was a note.

**_You are welcome  
Nik_**

"Bastard..." she mumbled and then shook her head, her eyes lingering on the name with which he had signed.

Nik.

* * *

Jules paced around nervously looking at the woods surrounding the road that led to the Lockwood mansion, where she and a few other werewolves lived.

She waited for Brady shaking her head.  
Finally she saw him appear with his scruffy clothes along with Yana.

"You stupid moron" she yelled at him.  
Brady ignored her insult and came closer to her pulling her into a kiss.

She pushed him away "Stop. Where have you been?"  
"I'm your boyfriend not your subordinate" he said and pulled her to him again.

Yana looked away annoyed with all the morning affection.  
Jules hissed under her breath and shoved him so hard he landed on his ass in the middle of the road "I am Mason's second in command, don't forget that Brady"

Brady smiled darkly "You _were _his second in command. Mason's dead Jules"  
She clenched her jaw "So that will make me the Alpha"

"I seriously doubt anyone will follow your lead Jules" Yana said pulling a face.  
Jules looked at her mad "Taking sides already?"

Yana tilted her head "No one is going to let you walk into that place just like that Jules. Tyler is the natural choice"

Jules laughed "Tyler started shifting less than a year ago, I am older than him. I was chosen by Mason and I should be the next Alpha and you shouldn't be rolling around in the mud with my boyfriend" she came closer to Yana.

The girl smiled and turned to leave "And where would the fun be in behaving?"  
Jules hastily looked at her boyfriend "What did you do?"

Brady got up from the ground and she insisted "What did you do last night? I knew that you were up to something when you left the manor before shifting" she shook her head worried.

But Brady didn't answer because a black car speed towards them, it stopped across the road and Klaus stepped outside with swag.  
Jules looked at Brady knowing he was here because of him.

"Good morning" Klaus said smiling.  
Brady tensed his jaw uneasily.

"Klaus..." Jules said and moved so she could try to defend herself if needed.  
Klaus smiled wider and looked at Brady spotting the wound on his forehead "Rough night?" he asked the werewolf.

Brady answered smugly smiling "You know how it is, chasing rabbits, the occasional vampire..."  
Jules drilled him with her eyes.

"So I've heard. It appears you were having fun again with Caroline last night" Klaus smiled without leaving his open door.  
"Brady..." Jules said between her teeth.

He scolded her and then looked at Klaus "As if I didn't have enough with Mason's stupid infatuation over that bitch. I get it, she's a fine piece of ass, I wouldn't mind tapping that if she wasn't a vampire, but really Klaus? You as well?" he said pulling a disgusted face.

Klaus merely looked at Jules and smiled "I think your boyfriend has a secret crush on Caroline" he said raising his eyebrows amused.

Jules looked upset and clasped her lips tight "Whatever he did he wasn't aware of it, he has no control when he turns"

Klaus smiled "Sweetheart I think your boyfriend knew exactly what he was doing"  
"Even if he did, what's your interest in this? She's your girlfriend now?" Jules asked squinting.

Klaus sighed "Small town, small way of thinking and all this gossiping. Truly tragic" he said shaking his head "I just came from a meeting with Tyler and happened to see you two stranded in the middle of the road, I just thought I would stop to share the good news"

"What good news?" Brady asked annoyed.

Klaus moved back inside his car "I decided to stay in town. I believe there is an opening for the Alpha rank?"  
Jules dropped her chin surprised and looked at Brady that looked as stunned as her.

"I think Mystic Falls needs a new leader" Klaus said and then added "Oh and whoever it was that tried to kill Caroline last night..." he pressed his lips "Better luck next time mate"

Brady turned his hands into angry fists and watched as Klaus raced in his car away.

Jules gave him a furious look.  
Brady avoided her green piercing eyes "Don't start Jules"

She folded her arms watching Brady; she wished she could shake the feeling that Klaus was right.

* * *

Rebekah picked her hair up in a ponytail and went through the last diary on the pile, she stretched her arms and then went back to reading.

Elijah leaned against the door frame of her room "I believe when someone is being sneaky and reading something she shouldn't it is usual to at least lock the door? Not leave it open for everyone to see her"  
She smiled not taking her eyes from the diary "I'm not afraid of being caught Elijah"

"Truly brave my sister" he said crossing his arms mimicking his legs.  
She turned to face him "Stefan writs about everything and I mean... everything" she said widening her eyes.

"Some of us feel the need to try to shed our sins by writing them down"  
Rebekah pressed her lips "Do you keep a journal?"

"My sins are with me everyday Rebekah, there's no need to write them down"  
She stood up from the ground and came closer to him "Stefan talks about Fell's Church in his diary, something that he and Nik did but he doesn't mention what. Do you know anything about this?"

"No" he said and pulled his eyebrows together "But if Stefan doesn't write about it, it must mean that it was too risky to do so, that it was too much of a secret"  
"A secret kept by him and Nik?" she asked him low.

"Does it mention a date?" he asked.  
Rebekah shook her head and went for that precise diary; she opened it on the marked page and read it out loud for Elijah.

"_I wish there was something I could do for him. Klaus hasn't spoken about what we had to do in Fells Church but I know it consumes him everyday"_

Elijah straightened up and reached his hand out taking the diary when she handed it to him, he read the passage there and thought about it; he really had no idea what Stefan was referring to.

Rebekah felt her cell buzzing and read the incoming text "The girls are coming over... with Alaric" she said with a weird face.

Elijah tilted his head more intrigued than her.

* * *

Klaus walked inside his living room to find Elijah and Alaric waiting for him, he played with the keys of his car and smiled "Did we hire a tutor for Rebekah and I wasn't informed?"

Alaric stood up from the couch and Elijah dropped the diary heavily on the table before him; Klaus looked down on the open pages and then back at his brother.  
This one nodded that he should pick it up.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Klaus asked slowly taking the journal.  
"I think I know why you came back to Mystic Falls" Alaric said.

"Is that so?" Klaus replied unimpressed with the silly drama "I came back because my family asked me to. Because Rebekah asked me to" he said looking at the still silent Elijah.

"I was informed today brother that you kept things from us" Elijah calmly spoke.  
"Of course I did" Klaus said easily.

Elijah fixed the vase on the table trying to sooth his rage.  
Klaus knew him too well.

"What is all this? Why am I reading Stefan's inner thoughts?" he dropped the diary back on the table loudly.

Alaric ventured "Elena and the girls have investigated on their own, they found something that I totally missed and yesterday I confronted Elena, she admitted to what she had been up to"  
"Fascinating Alaric, what do I have to do with that?" Klaus asked annoyed.

"They found out where Mikael is" he said.  
"Where is he?" Klaus asked plainly.

Elijah looked at his brother "Niklaus, you can stop it now. No need to keep this façade game going"  
Klaus shook his head and laughed "What are you going on about?"

"We know that you have him locked inside the tomb bellow the ruins in Fell's Church" Alaric said.  
"What?" Klaus simply asked confused.

Alaric carried on "There is a symbol that can be captured only with pictures, I missed it but Elena and Caroline didn't and Bonnie found out it was a spell. A spell to keep someone trapped inside that tomb and now with this diary we found out it was you that locked him in there"

Klaus shook his head "It's not Mikael in there"  
Elijah squint at his brother "Niklaus..."

"It's not Mikael" he pressed on "Where is Rebekah?" he asked picking up his cell.  
"At the Grill with the girls" Alaric replied.

Klaus shook his head mad "I know Rebekah, she's at that bloody tomb right now" he said and hissed mad when she didn't pick her cell up.

He glared at the two useless men standing before him "You have all this information on your hands, give it to my impulsive reckless stubborn sister that is now best friend with three impulsive reckless and stubborn girls that have forged a backup plan behind your very back and you let them out of your sight?" Klaus finished raging mad.

Alaric looked at Elijah and back at Klaus "I'm new at this parenting thing" he said as if it was the best excuse in the world.  
"I need to go to those ruins now" Klaus said and turn to leave the room.

"Niklaus who is trapped inside that tomb?" Elijah asked him in his usual calm way.  
Klaus gulped down staggering his pace "Finn" he said and then left without facing his brother.

"Who's Finn?" Alaric demanded.

Elijah placed his hands inside his suit not answering him, too many doubts haunted him and he couldn't decide if he was going to kill Klaus now or later.  
He decided to wait for when Klaus returned.

* * *

Rebekah and Caroline walked through the woods towards the old ruins.

They were left a little behind Elena and Bonnie and Rebekah took the chance to talk to Caroline.  
She was a lot more quiet than usual and that was definitely suspicious.

"How did things go last night?" she asked the blonde girl with the white dress and pink flowers.  
"It was ok. I managed to survive" Caroline said casually.

Rebekah twisted her lips "Any close encounters with Brady and his bunch?"  
"Nothing I couldn't handle" she said quietly and smiled at Rebekah.

The one with the side braid wrinkled her nose, Caroline was hiding something.  
"Did Nik go by your house?" she asked smiling.

Caroline smiled "Bekah... are you trying to fix me with your evil brother?"  
"You would be the perfect sister-in-law" she teased Caroline.

"Oh I see" Caroline looked at her laughing.  
"Imagine the parties we would throw at the house together" Rebekah said stretching her hands in the air.

"Imagine the possibilities" Caroline said with a giggle.  
"I like this scenario. You are already a vampire so we wouldn't have any silly _Twilight_ drama, you have awesome fashion taste, you are fun to hang out with and you can hold your own in a battle. You are perfect for Nik. Plus you would look adorable together" Rebekah finished with a smug nod.

"Don't quit your day job, _Cupid_" Caroline said shaking her head.  
Rebekah laughed and forged her very own perfect side plan inside her head.

Bonnie and Elena stopped by the entrance to the ruins and smiled at the two late blondes.  
"Nothing like a little Indiana Jones on a Sunday morning" Bonnie said.

"I can't believe you told Alaric about this" Caroline huffed.  
Elena gave her a look "I couldn't do anything about it guys... he and Jenna totally pinned me against the wall here"

"At least you didn't tell them about this" Bonnie said and took a yellow necklace from her pocket.  
Rebekah looked at the girls absolutely lost "What is that?"

"It belonged to Emily, the Bennett witch that performed the spell to enclose Mikael down there" she said and placed the yellow stone necklace over her family Grimoire.  
"What exactly are you all trying to do? Wake my father?" Rebekah asked really confused.

"No..." Bonnie said and looked at the girls.  
Rebekah snapped "Enough with the secrets, if I haven't proven myself enough to you then I don't know what else you want from me. I could have just snapped all of your necks days ago and not move an inch to help you"

Caroline smiled raising her eyebrows "I see the bad temper runs in the family"  
Rebekah glared at her mad "I don't like being used and I don't like being kept in the dark"

"Me neither" Caroline said serious "Rebekah, we already knew Mikael was in here. I went with Bonnie to get the diaries because we were afraid this Stefan guy might have written about it"

"Then why did we break into Alaric's, risking that he might find out, like he eventually did?" Rebekah asked looking at Elena.

"To test you" Elena said with a small smile "And because we needed everyone distracted with this new information"  
"Why?" Rebekah felt angrier by the minute.

"When we found out he was here, we managed to open the tomb" Bonnie said.  
Rebekah looked at her feeling her mouth opening in surprise.

Bonnie shrugged "I'm really good at this" she said pulling an awkward smiling face.  
"But... did you get inside the tomb?" Rebekah asked searching for the right questions.

"We did" Caroline said and finished the information download "Look Rebekah, we found out about the spell, we just needed to know how to open the tomb. We all suspected it was Mikael in there and when Mason brought the Grimoire with the original spell we knew we were right. The rest was easy, the Grimoire belonged to Emily and the talisman she used was in Bonnie's family for generations. When we had the chance we opened the tomb and found the coffin"

"And what did you do?" Rebekah asked feeling a sudden wave of panic come over her; she wished Klaus was here now.  
"We kind of... snatched it" Caroline said.

"You did what?" Rebekah picked her cell, she had to call Klaus; he would know what to do, because right now she felt like she was in way over her head here.

"We haven't opened the coffin yet, that's the tricky part of it all. Even if Bonnie is able to open it we have no idea how to kill your father" Elena said with a strange vibe over the last part.

"So you basically have everyone focused on this while you are already on stage twenty of your super secret and super elaborated plan" Rebekah said dizzy.  
"Pretty much... yeah..." Bonnie said and stroked Rebekah's back gently.

Rebekah gave her a look "And what are we doing here now?"  
"Casting a spell on the tomb. If everyone keeps believing that he's trapped in there and keep trying to open it, we will be able to focus on finding a way to open that coffin and kill Mikael. Hopefully keeping Elena safe in the process" Bonnie said.

Elena smiled at Rebekah warmly "Now you know everything. Are you really mad at us for not telling you sooner?"

Rebekah shook her head and looked at her cell, she put it away eventually; there was nothing to be done.  
These girls were insane but they actually had a good plan.

"How can I help?" she asked reluctantly smiling.

Caroline and the others smiled at her.  
She rolled her eyes knowing she was in so much trouble when Klaus found out about all this.

* * *

Bonnie mumbled something that no one really understood, she had her eyes closed and repeated the words in this spell she knew by heart now.

She had been working on it for days and didn't really need to use the Grimoire that Elena held along with the necklace.

Rebekah stood by the entrance to the tomb; keeping watch, making sure no one interrupted Bonnie.  
Caroline on the other hand was sitting outside by the ruins using her shoe to move a few tiny rocks on the ground, she was trying to keep her mind here but it kept flying to the night before.

She couldn't get the entire scene out of her head, in particular Klaus desperately wanting to come in and rescue her.  
This was the hardest part to deal with.

After all that Rose said about them, about him.  
The mind games he enjoyed playing, the mean and evil side to him, the way he tortured his victims psychologically bringing them to their knees before finishing them.

None of this made sense when she recalled the way he talked to her, the concern in his voice; the sweetness towards her.  
The way he looked at her.

How many times had she wished as human to be looked at like this.  
Like he had last night, like she was the only woman in the world.

That's how he made her feel when he stared at her with these devil eyes, like she was the only thing in the world he wanted and craved for.  
Like nothing else existed and this was hard to fight.

As much as she still felt like a game to him, she also knew he was winning.  
In her worst hour he had been there willingly feeding her with his blood and she had taken it, she had trusted Klaus despite all the horrific things she knew about him.

What was stopping her from accepting him and his insane offer?  
A new brain she huffed and kicked the rocks away.

She raised her eyes when she heard it crash against something.  
She saw the black army boots and knew who he was.

"What an unexpected surprise" she said with a sigh.  
Brady smiled "How did you managed to escape me? I'm sure I sniffed you last night and came at you wanting your head"

Caroline smiled and stood up "You aren't much smarter as a wolf. I kicked you in the head and went home"  
Brady taunted her "Let's cut the crap and just settle this. No way I'm waiting for the next moon to get rid of you"

Caroline smiled at him "What are you waiting for then?"  
Brady launched himself at her but she dodged him easily and threw him on the ground against the ruins, Brady pushed his elbow and she was hit with it on her face, it was enough to make her stumble.

Brady took a knife from inside his boot and cut through air until it found Caroline's arm.  
She flinched because it burned her flesh, she eyed him surprised.

"Vervain..." he hissed smiling and went at her again.  
Caroline dodged the second assault but didn't avoid the cut on her face when he skilfully hurt her there.

She cringed in pain because her face seemed to be on pure fire.  
Her fangs pierced through her gums and she snarled flashing towards him, she grabbed him by the throat and shoved him against a tree, she kicked him where she bloody knew it would hurt and when he bent down, she was going to kick him in the face but Brady was faster and grabbed her foot, she landed hard on her back and hit her head harshly against a huge rock.

She felt really dizzy smelling her own blood and it took her a second to realize Brady was hovering over her.

With all the adrenaline of fighting him, her blood was being pumped fast and it didn't help that she saw the lascivious smile on his face, she fought him off her but he grabbed her wrists and she shivered repulsed when she felt his body down on hers, God damn it, why was she wearing a dress today.

"Get off me" she tried to push him away but the surprise of his deeds was leaving her a bit powerless.  
"A fine piece of ass in deed..." he said practically salivating now over her.

She tried to fight him harder but he was strong and she closed her eyes when she felt him press his disgusting body even more against hers on the ground.  
But that's the last thing she felt because it was Brady's last action in this world.

She heard a snapping sound and opened her eyes when he released her wrists, his head was twisted backwards and he was shoved with a foot off her.  
She looked up and saw a hand reaching out to her, Caroline took it shaking.

She fixed her dress and tried to steady her none beating heart and the tears that threaten to show up.

She looked at him feeling a wave of unexpected shame that he had found her like this, of all things to feel she felt this and wished it hadn't been him to rescue her or maybe she was just shaken from it all.

Klaus didn't say a word and she was thankful for it.  
"They are downstairs..." she said and shook her hair, leaves and dirt falling from it.

Klaus still said nothing and just looked at her; it never ceased to amaze him how strong this girl was.  
He followed her and noticed how she checked her head moaning slightly but still holding it together, even after what just happened.

They walked in silence until she stopped, everything finally hitting her, what Brady almost accomplished, that she wouldn't have been able to fight him off and that thought was overpowering.

She bit her lip trying to stop the tears but she wasn't successful, she was crying again in his presence and she hated it, more than anything she hated that she came across as weak as this before him.

Klaus moved and quietly pulled her into his arms, Caroline rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes, he never said a word but she had no use for words.

She pulled away when she heard the girls coming off the tomb talking.  
She cleaned her face and pulled herself together forcing a smile.

"Nik..." Rebekah said.  
"You have a lot of explaining to do love" he told her.

Rebekah gave him her best smile to which Klaus replied with a stern look.  
"Are you ok Caroline?" Elena asked.

"Yes"  
"I stumbled my way into a fight with Brady and killed him" Klaus said "In case anyone trips over his head on the way to the car" he added and walked away coolly.

"Well that's one less prick to worry about" Rebekah said and followed her brother.  
"And one more death for your mother to cover up" Bonnie told Caroline.

She smiled at her friend and stroked her arms, feeling cold and tired but strangely not so alone any more.

* * *

It took Klaus a while to understand everything Elena, Bonnie and Caroline had been up to, he spent the entire time eyeing Rebekah that kept her stupid innocent smile trying to convince him that she was late to this crazy party.

"Where is he now?" he asked Elena outside the Grill where he stood with her and his sister.  
Caroline and Bonnie had gone to speak to the Sheriff.

Elena shook her head fiercely "No, that's our leverage. I'm not about to lose that"  
"Tell me where you have hidden that bloody coffin or you will lose random body parts" he said eerily.

"It's my life on the line here, I'm not about to give up on it that easily. We are keeping his body hidden until we find a way to kill him" she said fearlessly.  
"It's not Mikael inside that coffin Elena" he said seriously.

She smiled "Nice try Klaus but unless you start killing doppelgangers next I'm not telling you"  
Klaus took one deep and long breath "Sweetheart do not begin to think that I have any problem with killing you on the spot"

"I know that you can kill me any time you wish and believe me, I know my days are numbered but I'm also making sure that nothing happens to anyone else" she told him determinedly.

"Where is that coffin Elena? Or I forget that you have been nice to my sister and kill you right in front of her" he said and looked at Rebekah that gave him a look.

"I'll make you a deal" Elena said.  
"A deal?"

"Yes, you don't want your father out in the world as much as us so I propose a deal. We keep him safe and hidden and you find a way to kill him" Elena suggested.  
"It's not him inside that bloody coffin" Klaus said again hissing.

Elena smiled "Whoever it is, you didn't want him out either and I'm not stupid Klaus, Mikael is trapped, he can't send vampires after us. Someone is doing it for him and maybe you even know who it is, either way we are all in the same boat here. They want all of us dead, you and your family included" she said and walked away.

Klaus looked at Rebekah; his sister remained with her arms crossed over her chest, a smile gracing her gorgeous face.  
"What?" he asked her.

"You have changed" she told him.  
"Don't be silly" he huffed.

"No... you have. You would have snapped Elena's neck as soon as she started demanding deals but still you didn't"  
Klaus looked the other way mad at her.

Rebekah laughed softly "Whatever it is Nik don't stop now... I like this Nik a lot better. Reminds me of Niklaus"  
"Niklaus died as a human" he simply told her.

She placed her hand over his chest "It has always been here, hidden somewhere but it's making a comeback now"  
"He's dead Rebekah" he said and left towards the pub eager for a drink.

Rebekah smiled wider.

* * *

When Klaus came out of the Grill a couple of hours later he did not expect the vision.  
Caroline was waiting for him, leaning against his shiny black car.

"Ain't you a sight" he said when he came closer to her.  
Caroline smiled and slowly pulled away from his car "You need to stop saving me"

Klaus showed his dimples as he smiled "Is that so? And why is that?"  
"Because I might get used to it" she answered softly.

His dimples were still there, how amazing he looked when he smiled like this.  
"I see how that can be seen as a problem but there are far worse addictions love" he said looking at her that way she had hoped he would.

Caroline took a step closer to him and enjoyed when he seemed to react to it.  
"I know" she whispered and came even closer.

Caroline stopped inches away from him and looked into his eyes, she felt trapped in there and loved it, she slowly laced her hands around him, one hand on the back of his neck while the other found his hair, her lips came dangerously close to his and she smiled at him.

Klaus breathed against her red lavishness lips and she enjoyed that it came out in soft pants, she took pleasure from the way she was this close to him and still Klaus didn't make a move.  
His hands didn't seek her body nor did his lips make that tiny move to take what separated them.

She stroked his neck and felt the skin there wrinkle under her fingertips; it excited her that he would shiver with just her touch.

Caroline teased him with her lips, almost kissing him but pulling back at the last second.  
Klaus couldn't tell what aroused him the most, Caroline being so much in control or the fact that he was willingly allowing her to be in control.

For someone like him having Caroline take charge like this without any resistance was new and exciting.  
But these were the rules, she made them very clear, he wasn't allowed to touch her until she said so.

And she bloody well knew what she was doing when she pulled away from him; Klaus clenched his jaw and lowered his eyes smirking at her.

The look itself made Caroline restrain herself from jumping Klaus in the parking lot but still she kept it under control and tried to stay strong when he walked making her back away, she gasped when she felt the cold steel of his car on her back.

Klaus smiled in a sinister way and cupped her face; she locked her eyes with his and gulped down when she felt his body against hers.  
"That's not a very nice thing to do" he said breathing against her lips.

Caroline smiled letting him take over their little game for now.  
Klaus lowered his hand from her cheek to her neck and pulled her closer to him.  
She opened her mouth gasping loudly.

"Ask me Caroline" he said teasing her lips like she had done moments ago.  
She smiled wickedly "No"

Klaus returned her dark teasing smile "Ask me to kiss you Caroline"

She shook her head smiling and then biting her lustful red full lip.  
Klaus groaned in anticipation but he wasn't going to give in now, he moved his other hand around her waist and she couldn't help the moan that his strong touch brought forward.

He rested his hand on the small of her back and pulled her closer, pressing her against him.  
"Ask me..." he said and moved his head, scratching her skin with his perfect stubble as he searched her ear, whispering in that husky accented voice "... Caroline"

Oh Jesus Christ, she was so aroused by all this that it wouldn't take him long to make her scream his name pinned against his car.

He searched her face and her eyes and they looked at each other breathing at the same time, wanting each other exactly the same way.

Caroline moved her hands grabbing his face and crashed her lips against his.  
She found his soft lips and tasted them, kissing him finally.

Her lips captured his and she loved the feeling of it, running her tongue over his lower lip, smiling when he answered her tease and took hold of the kiss.

Pushing her tongue with his back to her mouth, possessive discovering all this new territory and already making notes of what she liked.

Caroline stroked his amazing stubble, moved to his neck and got her fingers lost among his necklaces, caressing his skin appreciating that he made their first kiss long and slow.

Filled with passion and sweet battling of tongues and dominance, she even allowed him to win a few times.  
Klaus didn't mind her generosity at all and tilted her head so he could have better access to her wonderful mouth.

He cherished every soft moan that left her perfect lips, he nudged her tongue and she smiled, pulling at his hair when he teased her by running the tip of his tongue over hers and then melting their mouths into another long kiss.

Her body became water around his, a perfect match that fitted his muscled body so wonderfully. Caroline had never been kissed liked this by any other boy, she caressed his broad shoulders now, his hand was on her neck, the other gently running over her curved body, trying to capture her perfection in his mind at the tip of his fingertips.

Caroline couldn't help the loud moan as he kissed along her chin, came down her neck and savoured her there.

She closed her eyes feeling just a bit too lost in him, she met his eyes again and he stroked her cheek, smiling happy for the amazing moment.

Caroline smiled and kissed his wet lips softly, she kissed his bottom lip and then looked up at him, the instant she did so, he knew the mood had changed.  
He smiled at her waiting for it but nothing really could have prepared him enough.

Caroline caressed his firm chest with both hands "You are welcome..." she said in a bloody low seducing voice and then shoved him off her "... Nik"

Caroline walked away smiling without looking back knowing that Klaus was in a desperate need of a very ice-cold shower now.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Kiss me - _Ed Sheeran__  
_


	11. Bad Plans

Klaus closed the door and slowly dropped the keys on the table waiting for it.  
He smiled because Elijah was too predictable and didn't let him down.

His brother came at him fast and pinned him hard against the wall, his hand close to Klaus throat "What did you do?" he asked in his own eerie tone.  
Klaus said nothing, he just looked at Elijah.

"Niklaus..." Elijah tightened his grip and his face muscles tensed with anger.  
Klaus narrowed his eyes "Take your hands off me Elijah" he said slowly lingering on every word.

Elijah snarled and came closer to Klaus' face "How could you do this Niklaus? He is our brother"  
Klaus smiled his dark smile "And I'm supposed to care, because..."

Elijah breathed out in pure rage now "We are not disposable items that you can put away when you are not pleased or tired playing with"  
"As I am not a pawn in your little prophecy game"

Elijah wavered on his strong hold.  
"_Let's move to Mystic Falls, let's all just be a happy family in Mystic Falls, _Rebekah said and nagged me for months. You convinced her to come back here" Klaus told Elijah and smiled when his brother truly faltered and broke eye contact for a few seconds.

"This is our home" Elijah said as if this was some undeniable truth that could explain all his schemes.  
Klaus taunted him further with his smile "You can plan behind my back all you want brother but no one makes me do something I don't want to. Don't ever forget that"

"What's going on here?" Rebekah asked as she came inside the room to find her two brothers like this.  
"I'll let Niklaus explain it to you" Elijah said with a smile and released Klaus.

Klaus gave him a look.  
"What's with all the heavy breathing?" Kol asked arriving home to the scene filled with tension.

"Kol, just in time. We have a little family reunion, Klaus is going to explain to all of us what he did with Finn" Elijah said and opened his hands to Klaus waiting for him to come clean before his siblings.  
Klaus clenched his teeth mad but did what was expected of him.

"I drove a dagger into his heart, placed him in a coffin and then trapped him inside a tomb" Klaus easily explained.

Rebekah looked at Klaus with surprise all over her face.  
Klaus looked away avoiding her judging eyes.

"I thought he just vanished... that he didn't want to be found" Kol said looking at Klaus as well.  
"He wasn't exactly the family loving type so spare me the dramatic comments" Klaus snapped.

"He is still our brother" Rebekah confronted Klaus "Why would you do that to him?"  
"Because he was a problem" Klaus answered her.

"A problem? That's your excuse Nik?" she asked him stunned.  
"I don't need excuses Rebekah. He was a problem that needed to be solved and I dealt with it" he said already starting to get mad.

She shook her head in disbelief, no matter how much she knew Klaus he still managed to surprise her with his methods and cold manners towards his own family.  
"How long has he been there?" Kol asked resting against the back of the couch.

"Inside the tomb? A century or so. He has been inside his coffin for over 900 years" Klaus revealed to his incredulous siblings.  
"So you have dagger our brother, placed him inside a coffin but only decided to trap him inside a tomb in Mystic Falls after 800 years... why?" Elijah asked him calmly now, taming his rage eager to know everything.

"Sage was getting too close to us and to his body. I had to ditch him so she would stop following us around. I placed him inside the grave bellow Fell's Church and had a witch make a spell to lock it, after she was done I killed her and never looked back"

Klaus was upset and looked at Rebekah "And you went and made friends with the descendant from Emily Bennett and her crazy friends that decided it was an amazing idea to open the tomb where I trapped the older brother that wanted all of us dead" he yelled "Since each one of you have decided to forget the tiny detail that he did side with Mikael and came after our heads along with his psychotic girlfriend" he added further and then left the room raging at all of them.

"He has a point" Kol said quietly.  
Rebekah looked at her brothers and went after the one she was closest to.

"Nik..." she called softly as he reached the stairs.  
"What?" he asked stopping on his way up.

"The girls... they don't know it was Finn in there" she said coming closer.  
Klaus looked at her "Of course they don't. They think it's Mikael which is even worst but why would I bother with the fact that you have such poor judgement in choosing your friends Rebekah?"

"Because my friends are actually really good at this and they managed to open that tomb and take Finn's body. And they won't tell me where it is" she said with a smile.

Klaus inhaled and exhaled really heavily, just what he needed.  
Bloody brilliant.

* * *

"Will you be at the Grill later?" A smiling girl from her cheerleader practice asked Caroline passing by in her car.  
"Like there is something better to do after school" Caroline answered pulling a face.

The girl laughed in response and drove away.  
Caroline placed her bag in the back seat and closed the door, she startled as she saw Tyler standing in front of her.  
"Jesus Tyler..." she said uneasily.

Tyler just looked at her, serious and she fixed her side braids uncomfortably.  
"Klaus came to see me yesterday" he told her as serious as he looked.

Caroline tried to keep a straight face "And why are you telling me this?"  
"Because he wants to take the Alpha place left by Mason" he answered.

"Tyler... I'm sorry about Mason" she said softly.  
"Forget it. He got himself killed, the problem now is that everyone wants his place but I wasn't expecting that Original to come in and claim it, like he even thinks he has any right over it" Tyler spoke with such anger that was only adding to her uneasiness.

"Tyler I don't have anything to do with this" she said.  
"Like you didn't have anything to do with Brady's death?" he hissed at her leaning over so no one would hear them.

Caroline gulped down.  
"Yeah Caroline I know about him too. Is any guy left in this town that isn't into you?" he asked her mad.

Caroline clenched her teeth "Yes Tyler, you"  
Tyler suddenly grabbed her arm, she wasn't expecting it and tensed even more "If he gets this place and becomes the Alpha in this town, there will be a lot of deaths and I don't think anyone wants that. I'm not about to bow down and kiss his feet any time soon. We will put up a fight Caroline and it won't be pretty"

"Tell him that, not me" she tried to free herself but Tyler was leaving a mark on her arm.  
"I just figured since you are such good friends with his family now..."

Caroline's breath quickened up because she recognized this Tyler, the angry one "Tyler I swear that I have nothing to do with this. If you have something to tell Klaus, talk to him, not me"  
Tyler squint at her, she felt his grip tighten and fought to keep it together.

"Hey Care, sorry I'm late..."  
Tyler looked behind Caroline; Rebekah arrived with her bag.

"... I was talking to Matt" she said eyeing Tyler and his hand on Caroline's arm, she didn't like the way he was handling her friend "Is everything alright?" she added.

"Yes" Caroline said and looked down on her arm, Tyler released her.  
He walked away but not without glaring at Caroline one last time.

"Are you alright Care?" Rebekah asked as she got inside the car.  
"I need a drink" she simply said and drove to the Grill.

* * *

Klaus walked inside the Pub and looked for Kol; he found him on the other side of the counter at the bar and pulled his eyebrows together.  
"What are you doing on that side?" he asked his baby brother.

"I bought the Grill" Kol said opening his arms excited.  
Klaus stood there surprised and plain shocked.

Kol grimaced "I figured that since we are bound to spend most of our time here anyway, I should make the most of it"  
Klaus sighed and placed his hands on the counter "So you decided to buy the town's local Pub?"

Kol nodded happily "I'll keep the name because it's short and kind of catchy but I was thinking of adding some dancing-girls to it. What do you think?" he asked his brother truly interested in his opinion.  
"You have plans to turn this place into a stripping club?" Klaus clasped his lips squinting.

"You are right Nik... I shouldn't mess too much with it. I'll just make this a nice haven for us and ban all werewolves" Kol said searching for two glasses.  
He poured some Scotch into them and smiled "On the house"

Klaus shook his head "Awful start, you'll go into bankruptcy soon. And what is this talk about banning werewolves?"  
"I don't like them... but I'll consider a few nice exceptions, that Yana girl is hot" he said with a smile.

Klaus sighed again and took a sip from his strong beverage, he felt her arrive to his side.  
She was wearing tiny shorts, a pink shirt and sneakers.

The casual sportive look told him that she was straight out from cheerleader practice but he couldn't tell why but he felt her uneasy and on edge.  
He didn't like it a bit.

Rebekah slumped next to him and giggled "Did you get a job Kol?"  
"You are looking at the new owner" he answered smirking at his sister.

"God help us all, Kol with unlimited access to liquor and women" she laughed.  
Kol rolled his eyes "You are paying for your drink" he said and placed a glass in front of her.

Klaus turned his back on the two nagging siblings going at each other with snarky comments and focused on the standing girl in silence.  
He couldn't help to wander his eyes; Caroline was simply put, hot.

"My face is up here Klaus"  
Klaus' face opened up to a smile and he looked up, he lingered a little longer though because he was enjoying the view too much.

Caroline gave him a look and he simply shrugged it with a smile, it pulled a smile from her which he enjoyed a lot.

She sat on a stool and folded her arms in that adorable way that only Caroline was able to pull off "What is this that I hear about you going for the Alpha place? Weren't you supposed to leave town Klaus?"  
Klaus raised an eyebrow "What is this I hear about a coffin you stole?"

Caroline smiled wider "I see... no secrets between the family"  
Klaus nodded once solemnly.

"I can't tell you where it is"  
"Can't or won't?" he asked drinking again.

"I don't know where it is" she said with a huge smug smile.  
Klaus frowned at her "I'm not sure I understand"

Caroline sighed and fixed her side braids "Only one of us knows the location to that coffin and I compelled her to forget"  
Klaus placed his drink truly impressed on the counter "Caroline you are just full of surprises aren't you?"

Caroline laughed and stood up; she walked away to the bathroom swinging her hips lazily. Klaus had to turn away; he looked at his two smirking siblings.

Kol pushed a huge empty bowl on the counter with his finger "I think you are going to need that" he said "You know... for the drooling" he raised an eyebrow.

Rebekah chuckled and Klaus scolded them, he dropped the glass heavily on the counter and left.  
Kol looked at Rebekah and clicked his glass with hers laughing.

* * *

"Hey Jer, wait up" Elena shouted crossing the street; she reached her brother smiling at him.  
"What do you want Elena?" he annoyingly asked her.

She sighed "Can't I walk home with my brother?"  
"I'm not going home Elena" he said and turned around the corner heading for the Grill.

She decided not to follow him; instead she felt the need to go see someone else.  
She was by her parent's grave in less than 15 minutes.

Elena knelt cleaning the leaves that gathered covering their names, she cleaned her hands and looked at the names again, a huge sadness coming over her, she missed them, too much.

"They were important to you"  
The voice startled her and she jumped a little "Elijah... you scared me" she said smiling and stood up.

Elijah smiled politely "My apologies Elena"  
She ran her hand through her hair a bit nervous, she realized how her heart always picked up when she was around the dashing older vampire.

"Yes they were, they really were..." she answered his remark.  
"I can tell by the way you look at their last address" he said looking down on the gravestones.

"They were my parents, no matter what. They will always be my parents and I loved them" she said stroking her arms.  
"How did they die?" he asked.

Elena was surprised by his seemingly honest interest "A vampire killed them" she simply said.  
Elijah nodded sympathizing with her pain "I'm sorry for your loss Elena"

Elena realized how her heart seemed to race when he said her name, it sounded different from anything she had ever heard, sounded old and mysterious and forbidden.

"What are you doing here Elijah?" she asked him knowing she was going to fear his answer, he wouldn't be here if he didn't have a strong reason.

"It has come to my attention that you have something I crave for" he said.  
Elena placed her hair behind her ear like she always did when she was nervous, because that's what Elijah did, he made her nervous.

She simply shook her head as an answer.  
"A coffin that belongs to our family" he said softly.

Elena looked down from his eyes "I don't know where it is Elijah"  
Elijah half closed his eyes and came closer to her, she gulped down with his proximity "I'm telling you the truth Elijah"

He smiled and leaned over, her heart raced inside her chest, damn it.  
"I can listen to your heart Elena, why is it beating so fast? Because you are lying to me?" he asked so close to her that she felt his soft sweet breath on her face.

Elena looked up and locked her brown sweet gaze with his strong powerful eyes "I'm not going to tell you where Mikael is because I don't know where he is"  
Elijah smiled "I can compel you to tell me the truth Elena"

She smiled "Even if I wasn't wearing Vervain I would tell you the same thing"  
"Are you saying I should trust your word Elena?"

"I have no reason to lie to you Elijah"  
Elijah broke his gaze with hers and moved away from her, he started walking away "I'll hold you to those words Elena"

She tried to steady her heart because it wasn't beating out of fear, it was beating out of something entirely different.

* * *

Caroline came out of the bathroom and chuckled when she saw Klaus waiting for her "What can I do for you Klaus?"  
"I was just... wondering about what happened last night" he asked as she came closer to him.

Caroline shrugged "I don't remember what happened last night"  
Klaus moved and she took a step backwards, she felt the wall on her back and stopped, Klaus placed a hand on each side of her face "Apparently you and I kissed"

Caroline smiled "No. I allowed you to kiss me"  
"Caroline sweetheart let's not get technical" he said and leaned over dangerously close.

"AH let's" she said and raised a finger between them making Klaus stop half way towards her lips.  
He opened up to a huge teasing smile "Are we still doing this by your rules?"

Caroline nodded and smiled because she enjoyed the way his breath tickled her lips and the way his body was close to hers.  
"Very well" he said and pulled away from her completely.

Caroline smiled and looked at him, her eyes took in the raw beauty of Klaus, his amazing eyes, the perfect sexy stubble, his button nose, the lustful raspberry lips and she unconsciously licked her own.

"Where is that coffin Caroline?" he asked her serious.  
She rested against the wall, her hands behind her back "What do you want with it?"

"It's not Mikael" he said.  
"I know, you told Elena. Who is it then?" she asked him with the same determination as his.

"It's my older brother Finn" he said watching the girl in front of him. The strong brave girl that he had the tendency to open up to and craved to kiss more than anything right now.

"Good or evil?" she asked him.  
Klaus chuckled "Wants us dead"

"Okay..." she said not sure which side to place him just yet.  
"Caroline... whoever is behind the attacks on the town is the same one after Elena and it's not Mikael. He is trapped inside some other forsaken grave and he can't be the one behind all this" he told her feeling it was stupid that none of them had come to this very conclusion.

"I know..." she simply replied.

"My father hated me, hated what I was even if it wasn't my fault" Klaus said.  
Caroline looked into his eyes again, the words triggered something unexpected inside of her, she related to them.

"He wants me dead, there's no way I would want him awake and out of that prison he is trapped in. As for the the attacks, I suspect its Finn's eternal girlfriend, Sage. She's most likely behind all this and uses Mikael's name to intimidate everyone. You should expect a vengeful red-haired vampire to arrive to town soon. She knows it's Finn inside that coffin and she's not going to be pleased when she finds out a group of teenagers stole his body"

Caroline clicked her teeth because she knew he was upset "Klaus I..." she fell quiet, she didn't know what to tell him.  
"Are you using my sister as well?" he asked clenching his face putting that solid mask between them.

"I didn't use anyone Klaus" she said feeling offended by his words.  
"You didn't play me along enough to see if I wasn't the one after Elena?" he asked her with that hard expression she hated.

She simply looked at him; she didn't feel like explaining herself to Klaus, what right had he to judge her suspicions.  
It wasn't like he had been an open book since he arrived to town either.

"Well sweetheart..." he said and drilled her with his stare "If I was after your friend, she would be dead by now"

Caroline still stayed quiet when he turned his back on her and left.  
She banged the back of her head against the wall she rested against, why did she feel so bad now with his reaction?

"Hey... I need to talk to you" Bonnie said coming her way.  
Caroline tried her best to smile at her friend "What is it Bon?"

"Remember that cute deputy that used to work for your mother?" She asked her in a low voice.  
Caroline smiled "The one that you seduced and then ditch because he had bad taste in music?"

Bonnie giggled "That very one. Well we kept in touch after he left town and I asked him for a favor and guess who pulled through?" she showed Caroline her cell.

Caroline smiled with will this time "He found out where Mason and Tyler have been?"  
"That's a picture of Mason's car parked outside a club called **Cave**"

"Sounds promising..." Caroline said and handed Bonnie her cell back "So we have a date tonight?"  
Bonnie smiled "I'll pick you up at seven"

Caroline nodded, she could use the distraction.

* * *

"Mom I'm going out" Caroline said coming down the stairs getting ready for her date with Bonnie.  
"Are you going to the Grill?" Liz asked her from the couch where she watched the news.

Caroline sat on the couch's arm "No. I'm going over to a club with Bonnie. Where Mason and Tyler have been when they were away last time"  
Liz turned the TV off and focused on Caroline "And why are you going there? Alone with Bonnie?"

"Mason had a good reason to stay away from Mystic Falls. I want to know what reason was that"  
"Sweety you don't even know if he was at this club for a reason" Liz tried to reason with Caroline.

"Mason never left Mystic Falls unless he had a really strong reason to leave his pack alone. And he took Tyler with him; they were up to something and let's not forget they came back with the Grimoire that held that spell"

"If he was in touch with someone who had something like that Grimoire in its possession then don't you think this is beyond dangerous? Caroline... I'm just worried, you just been bitten and I arrived home to find Klaus leaving the house assuring me that it wasn't that dramatic, I'm not convinced"

Caroline smiled at her mother "He was right... it wasn't even a bite and all I had to do was drink blood. Plus tonight I'll be fine. I'll have the strongest witch by my side and I can still remember all that self-defense you taught me"

Liz was far from convinced but there was little she could do when Caroline got her head into something, besides she felt relieved that at least this time Caroline actually told her what she was up to.

Caroline grabbed her white short leather jacket and smiled hugely at her mother, she left the house still smiling until she found the discouraging image in front of her eyes.

Bonnie was waiting for her but with two extras she wasn't expecting.  
"Kol heard us talking and they just picked me up. I didn't have a choice" Bonnie huffed.

Caroline tried to not look at Klaus, she eyed Kol instead "What makes you think we are taking you along for the ride?"

"You are tracking someone who obviously knows about Nik's little stunt and I'm very interested in knowing who this mysterious person is. And how did Mason and Tyler got their hands on an original Grimoire" Kol answered by his car.

"We probably won't even find anything" Caroline tried.  
Kol smiled "Then we'll just have a fun night out" he said and opened the door to the car.

Caroline shook her loose soft curls and clenched her teeth, this was a huge mistake.  
Bonnie fumed getting inside the car, Kol smirked and went around it to his side, he drove away and Caroline realized she was supposed to go with Klaus in his shiny black car.

Klaus simply got inside his car without waiting for her, she huffed some air out; it was going to be a very long night.

"I don't suppose you can just ask Tyler who it was and what he was doing there so we can get this over with?" Klaus asked as she stepped inside.

Caroline harshly closed her door "No one is forcing you to go. No one invited you to go in the first place"

Klaus licked his lips upset and started the powerful engine under his hands.  
Neither of them spoke a word until they reached the club.

* * *

"They aren't letting anyone else inside the club, it seems it's really popular" Bonnie told Caroline having checked the huge line outside already.  
"We can always compel the guy, if I get close enough" Kol said.

"You do that Kol" she said and took her jacket off, the tight red cleavage showing top stood up on her ivory skin.  
She smiled at the young Mikaelson "I'll try it my way"

Bonnie followed her friend that smoldered her way into the front of the line, every guy smirked enjoying the sight and the girls gave her the usual hateful look, with the exception of those that smiled hopefully at her.

Caroline was one of those women that with the right amount of confidence were just as much stunning as they were dangerous.  
She smiled at the bouncer and he immediately pulled the rope up, Bonnie followed her and the girls gave their best smiles as they were marked with some invisible ink.

"Enjoy your night beautiful" The bouncer told Caroline with a naughty smile.  
"I will" she said seductively and made her way into the really busy club.

"Okay... now what?" Bonnie asked her loudly.  
Caroline pointed at the bar "Go ask around if they know them. I'll watch your back"

Bonnie nodded and took her cell from her tight jeans; she searched for a picture of Tyler and Mason and made her way to the bar.  
Caroline stood behind watching her, making sure everything went smoothly.

"Nice Club" Kol said next to her.  
She smiled "Did you compel the poor bastard?"

Kol made an appalled face "As If. He begged me to come inside and give this place something good to look at"  
Caroline couldn't hold back the laughter "So modest Kol"

"Not acquainted with it love" Kol chuckled and left after Bonnie.  
She felt Klaus tense body beside her now.

"You don't like clubs?"  
Klaus looked at her "I don't like bad plans"

Caroline pursed her lips mockingly "Just because it wasn't your super genius mind coming up with this one doesn't mean it's a bad plan. Get over yourself Klaus"  
Klaus kept his eyes on her and she squint as if she was asking him what.

Klaus moved and grabbed her hand pulling her to the crowded dance floor, she tried to fight him but he was strong and she found herself in the middle of it staring at Klaus.  
The music was loud and she was being shoved by all the energetic dancers.

He promptly turned her around and she was pinned against his chest, he lowered his lips to her ear and she felt her breath pick up "Look around sweetheart, take a really long look around..." he whispered in her ear.

She shivered, Klaus' steel body was glued to her back, his strong manly scent covered her, his stubble scratched her cheek gently as he spoke in her ear.

Caroline licked her lips and fought to keep her eyes open; she managed this but didn't keep her racing breath under control.

"You are surrounded by werewolves" he whispered.  
Caroline gasped.

* * *

Bonnie showed the picture and the girl at the bar shook her head "Sorry, I don't remember, we get a lot of people around every night" she said and moved to attend some other girl next to Bonnie.  
She huffed but tried one more girl, she leaned over the counter.

"Can I help you?" The Goth girl smiled at her.  
Bonnie showed her cell "I'm looking for one of these guys. I'm supposed to meet them here, I met them online" she said trying to look awkward.

The girl gave her a small smile and looked around "I... I haven't seen them"  
Bonnie smiled "Please... I know it sounds weird but I really clicked with them and they seemed so nice..."  
"I'm sorry... I can't help you" the girl said and turned to prepare some drinks.

"She knows them" Kol said reaching Bonnie.  
"I know..." she looked at Kol "Can you... persuade her?" she whispered.

"I thought you never asked" Kol said and moved to the other end of the counter.  
He asked for a beer and immediately started flirting with the girl.

Bonnie put her cell away and watched as Kol effortlessly used his natural charm to pull smile after smile from the girl.

She rested her arms over the counter and Bonnie unwillingly groaned inwardly when he reached out and touched the girl's hands, he raised his eyes knowing exactly what he was doing and two minutes later they were discretely stepping outside together.

Bonnie rushed after them, she found Kol smiling and kissing the girls cheek, she was about to jump him right there.  
Bonnie squinted and Kol grabbed the side of his head in pain.

"BONNIE" he hissed at her mad while the girl looked at them scared.  
"I'm sorry Kol... I was just testing to see if she was a vampire" she said with an innocent smile.

Kol gave her a look; she tilted her head and then looked at the girl "Now you. Start talking unless you want a headache that will last a year"  
The girl was mad that she had been played by the charming ass in front of her.

"I know them from a couple of nights ago, they came in here asking a lot of questions, when they were confronted for it, the dark-haired one started a huge fight. Sage had them thrown out and banned"  
"Who?" Kol asked on edge.

"Sage, the owner" The girl said with ease.  
"Bloody hell" Kol said and picked his cell calling Klaus.

* * *

"We should leave" Caroline whispered.

Klaus laced a hand around her, resting it on her tummy, she gulped down feeling his strong touch on her, she really could feel his body outlining hers and it was making it hard to focus on all these possible death traps around her.

The music in the club changed and the sexy heavy bass song started, she closed her eyes faltering because Klaus started moving slowly, his hand on her stomach made her move with him; or was it her sheer will to move along with him?  
She never expected Klaus to be a club lover, let alone such a good dancer.

"Easy love... we don't want to draw any unnecessary attention... do we?" he said and licked his lips because Caroline's perfect body melted against his, moved along with him.  
Against his better judgement he stroked her bare arm, came slowly up her shivering skin and moved her hair exposing her neck.

She rested her head against his shoulder enjoying the music and expertly moving her hips to the sound of the alluring music.  
"What the hell is this music anyway?" he whispered hypnotized by her perfect neck that he wanted to kiss.

Caroline smiled and slowly moved her hands up his legs "Something called _Glad you... came" _she finished biting her lip and raising her arms while her body taunted him.

Klaus looked down "Profound..." he let out realizing this was slightly messing with him a bit too much.  
Caroline was messing with him a bit too much to be more accurate.

For a second he believed his entire body was vibrating, that Caroline had that much power over him but then he shook his head, his cell was the one vibrating.

He reached inside his pocket and read the message from Kol.

**_You have to get out of there, Sage is in there.  
She owns the club_**

Klaus' instincts took over "Caroline" he leaned over hastily "We need to go. Now"

Caroline noticed the change in the air and started walking, she smiled at a couple that moved so she could leave the dance floor but stumbled into a hard chest.  
She looked up at the huge man in front of her.

"Aren't you hanging with the wrong crowd... bloodsucker" his voice harsh and loud.  
Caroline pursed her lips, this wasn't part of her _quickly get in, ask questions and leave_ plan.

"I was on my way out. I didn't know... this place was exclusive. My bad" she smiled and tried to leave but some other guy grabbed her arm.  
"No need to leave so soon, I'm sure we can make your visit worth it" he said giving her a lust look.

"No thanks" she said repulsed.  
She reclaimed her arm and walked away, he tried to follow her but Klaus cut him off, he just looked at him.

The werewolf stepped down and looked after them as they both made their way out fast.

"Where's Bonnie?" she asked when she saw that Kol's car was gone.

"On their way home, from where we should have never left" he said mad.  
Caroline opened her arms "Fine Klaus, it was a stupid plan. Next time I'll just ask for your infinite wisdom"

Klaus opened the door to his car "Next time use your head. Be smart Caroline. Know what you are getting yourself into before you actually decide to make a move" he snapped.

Caroline folded her arms mad at him "Carpe Diem Klaus... remember? I don't care what happens because I'm already dead" she wavered after her words.  
She had never said that to anyone, the real reason behind all her reckless behavior.

Klaus slammed the door to his car raging "Really Caroline? That's what you believe? That your existence is over?"  
Caroline didn't answer him, she just looked away, she was done confessing for one night, she had already given away too much to him.

"Look at me" He demanded fuming.  
She slowly moved her gaze to him, not giving away an inch of fear at all.

Klaus sighed trying to calm himself down "You have eternity ahead of you. You are no longer bounded by trivial human issues, time has no meaning to us, humanity has no value to us, we can do whatever we want and you are wasting it on careless deeds. You are wasting your true potential on a small town and with small town boys" he spat out unable to stop himself.

Caroline smiled "So I should let you show me the world? Seriously Klaus? You think a few romantic drawings and shallow promises are going to make me believe you can actually come to feel? Remotely? I know shallow ok? I was the frigging princess of shallow and I was an expert in it with the depth of a kiddy pool so don't fool yourself, I know exactly what you are. A heartless awful and sadistic murderer" she said gulping down at the strength of her words.

Klaus listened to them but they didn't make sense to him, they didn't match any of her actions towards him "If I was all that you believed I was, then why did you trust me enough into your house when you were dying?" he asked not avoiding the way they still hurt him.

"I don't know" she said looking down on the ground.  
Klaus rested his arms over the car "I could have let you die Caroline; I could have just walked away and let you die in agony and not lift a finger to help you. Twice"

She faced him, her face softening up but she didn't have time to say anything about this because the man from earlier came behind Klaus.

He simply turned and grabbed the man's hand, removing the large knife he was holding and using it to slice the man's throat open; he threw the knife away as the man fell lifeless to the ground.

Klaus looked at Caroline "Get inside" he told her in that eerie mad way of his.  
She got inside the car and didn't speak until they reached her house.

"Why did you help me?" she asked with her hand on the door.  
Klaus didn't say a word, his face an unreadable hard expression.

She wavered before leaving his car; she looked at him one last time before doing so "You are right. You could have let me die the first time and let Brady have his fun before he killed me but you didn't. Something stopped you from walking away... It's the same thing that stops me from running away as fast as I can from you" she whispered and then added sad "But I'm not worth it Klaus"

She closed the door to his car and searched for her keys wondering how long she would last until she broke into tears.  
She heard a noise when she reached her front door and turned around frowning.

Klaus walked determined to her, his expression still hard but mostly from his sheer determination, she gulped down.  
"Klaus..." she began.

"Shut up Caroline, I'm breaking your bloody rules" he said and cupped her face giving her no time to react as he locked his lips with hers.

Klaus didn't just kiss Caroline, he plain claimed her lips and her tongue, he kissed her thoroughly and deeply and she found herself pinned against her front door moaning and pulling his hair as he did so.

She felt his hands squeeze her waist, she gasped as he softly kissed her bottom lip but was happy when he returned for another heated round.  
She didn't hold back either and answered his kiss passionately.

He broke the kiss breathing heavily against her red lips "You _are_ worth it Caroline" he said and softly teased her lips.  
She stroked his neck loving the feeling of it "I'm not going to invite you inside tonight..." she said.

Klaus smiled and kissed her lips again, running his tongue there, entering her mouth yet again.  
She stroked his neck happily.

"Who said I wanted to get inside?" he whispered and pulled away from her smiling.

Caroline licked her lips feeling his raw taste there and bit her lip.  
Klaus gave her a playful look and smile before he got inside his shiny black car and drove away.

Caroline smiled hugely and rested her head against the door; she moved her hand to the door knob and twisted it open; she felt a wave of forgotten happiness by the time she came inside her house.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Glad you came - _The Wanted_

Breathe Again - _Sara Bareilles_

Guarded - _Kevin Daniel _(suggested by jocylovely)


	12. Fighting back

Caroline arrived with her mother to the town's council, while Liz went to talk with the Mayor and some of the other regulars, Caroline searched for her friends.

She found the girls laughing in a corner at the ancient city hall.  
"Hey peeps, why are we laughing?" she asked them with a smile.

"Check out the shower curtain on Mrs Giles" Bonnie said giggling.  
Caroline moved discretely and watched the old fat woman wearing a huge baggy dress with a weird pattern of balls and bells.

She faced Bonnie smirking "Now that's making a fashion statement"  
Elena shook her head "You two are just mean and I have no idea how I am best friends with both of you"

Caroline and Bonnie gave her puppy eyes.  
"Because we are awesome and you love us" Caroline said.

"I'm going to find Alaric..." Elena said with a raised eyebrow but a smile nonetheless.  
"So I don't have a reliable source but... Kol bought the Grill?" Bonnie asked Caroline.

"Yeah... I heard that too" she simply replied scanning the big room with her eyes.  
"Looking for someone in particular? Tall... handsome... known to kill entire families easily?" Bonnie teased her friend.

Caroline looked at her but didn't say a word which was very uncommon for Caroline.  
"What happened?" Bonnie asked her suddenly excited and eager to know details.

Caroline touched her loose locks that weren't part of her French braid today "I kind of... kissed someone" she whispered.  
Bonnie smiled "How does one kind of kiss someone?"

Caroline sighed "I..." she took a deep breath "Oh God, I kissed Klaus" she finally said.  
"Willingly?" Bonnie asked slowly.

"Of course Bonnie" Caroline answered with another sigh.  
"Ok... how was it?" Bonnie asked with an interested smile.

"I'm not going to tell you that" Caroline said fixing her fitted black leather jacket.  
Bonnie raised an eyebrow "Since when are you so shy about this?"

Caroline was one of those friends that always dished about everything.

"Since it wasn't that much of a big deal" Caroline laughed nervously. She played with one of the studs in her jacket and shook her head "Besides it was a mistake. It won't happen again"

Bonnie smiled at the weak determination in her friend's voice "Did it mess that much with you?"  
Caroline clicked her teeth together "He's a really good kisser" she said giving up.

But that was all she was going to say about it.

Bonnie smiled knowing her friend better than anyone in the world; Caroline was closing up for a reason.  
"Maybe I should just ask him" Bonnie teased her further as she saw Klaus and Elijah walk inside the room.

Caroline gave her a look and then tried not to look in his direction; she did really well considering that she managed to avoid it for the first 10 minutes of the meeting.

After that she couldn't keep her eyes from where he was, next to her mother, she occasionally tried to keep her attention on Liz but every time her eyes moved that inch she would find his piercing blue eyes looking at her as well.

This wasn't just a mistake; it was a monumental disaster waiting to happen.

None of them really paid any attention to what was happening or what was being discussed, they had something else on their minds, something involving the way they kissed and the way they felt around each other.

It wasn't until they heard Caroline's name that they both snapped from their little eye-sex session.

"You are the Sheriff, shouldn't you not be biased at all?"  
Jules asked again and Caroline tried to shake her head and focus on the ongoing discussion.

She awkwardly felt all eyes on her and wished she hadn't been busy admiring Klaus' stupid taste in long-sleeved cotton shirts that glued to his perfect chest.  
"What's going on?" she tilted her head touching her hair and discretely asking Bonnie.

Bonnie giggled because she hadn't been blind to the intense foreplay between Klaus and Caroline, she casually covered her mouth and whispered "Jules wants your mother to do something about the deaths of the werewolves lately"  
Caroline sighed deeply "Here we go again..."

"She knows who killed them, why don't you lock her inside a cell and question her until she gives you a name?" Jules asked Liz mad pointing at Caroline.  
"Because it wouldn't make a difference" Liz replied "It's been dealt with"

Jules laughed "This is outrageous. We have a murderer on our hands and you have the obligation to do something about it. Shouldn't you be doing your job?" Jules pressed on.

The Mayor finally intervened "The fewer waves we make about this, the better. No one outside the town needs to know about this"

"Your brother-in-law was murdered, Brady died and you are keeping it quiet to keep up appearances?" Jules was just appalled.

"It's not like Brady was the town's Saint either Jules, he tried to kill Jeremy" Alaric spoke in behalf of the humans.  
He was representing the Gilbert's, one of the most powerful and older families in town.

Jules nodded "So we are all just going to sit and wait for them to kill us all?" she looked at the two Originals that remained silent.

"We have rules; it's the only way to prevent turning this town into a massive battle field. Humans are off-limits. By everyone" Carol Lockwood said determined.

Jules gritted her teeth mad, she knew werewolves were the main creatures in this town and they were the hardest to keep under control.

"Brady came after a human, he and Yana were seen in town. The deal was to stay away from the town on full moons" Mrs Giles said.

Jules knew she was outnumbered, the town was siding with the Originals, showing support without even being asked to.  
It was a question of showing respect to the elder powerful ancient family.

"If I may speak..." Elijah said raising his hand and bringing it to his chest "I can see that some of you are nervous about our arrival and recent events regarding a few of us but I can assure you that we mean no harm. We just want to stay here and live peacefully. We will not retaliate unless we are forced to do so" he said and looked at Jules "I'm sorry about your companion but he did try to kill one of the vampires, I believe that is against the rules as well..."

Jules licked her lips apprehensively.

"So..." Elijah made a hand gesture while his other hand was inside his pocket "Can't we all just... get along?"

"I think Elijah is right. There is no need to start a silly fight over this. This town has proudly survived wars and it has become a good place to raise our children. We all know how hard it can be to keep them safe when they are different" Carol said looking at Liz.

The sheriff nodded in agreement.  
Jules resigned knowing she wasn't going to win any of this, as long as the Originals were seen as untouchable at least.

She waited for the end of the meeting and confronted Klaus when Elijah left him alone to speak privately with the Mayor.

"You really think you can just come in and take over this town bit by bit? I can see what you are doing. Your brother has the Mayor as his ally, Kol owns the town's bar where we used to hang out and you... well don't get me started" she hissed folding her arms mad.

Klaus chuckled "Sweetheart... I wasn't aware that we needed your permission to make ourselves at home"  
Jules unfolded her arms laughing, she looked around and then came closer to Klaus, he smiled amused at her.

"I know about your little crush but unlike Mason I don't have a soft spot for Caroline, I will take her down if you don't back away from that Alpha place"  
Klaus smiled showing his dimples "Jules, love... you are assuming that I care about this girl enough to stand down from something that is in my blood and true nature"

Jules didn't falter on her defiance and kept smiling "That Alpha place is mine"  
Klaus lowered his chin and raised his eyes to properly look at her "There's only one way to prove you are an Alpha... are you sure these wolves will follow you into battle if you asked them to?"

Jules gulped down, the only way to be an Alpha was to feel one. She couldn't demand others to follow her; they had to feel like it was their duty to do so.  
To be an Alpha was to be seen as one and she knew Yana and the others saw Tyler more as the Alpha instead of her.

"This town has leaders and no one needs a leader more than the werewolf side, we need someone to follow so we don't feel lost and without a purpose and I am more than willing to do that" she said with determination.

"I have no problem with you doing that, as long as you answer to me" Klaus said sizing the girl, she had the passion and he could use her, he was never one to do the job himself, he enjoyed the planning, being the mind behind it all much more.

"I won't be a second in command again" she said clasping her lips.  
"Your choice sweetheart, you can either be my second in command or be dead soon"

Jules recognized the threat there and remained silent as Klaus came dangerously closer to her.  
"For now sweetheart I have no intention of taking a place that will put my head on every map in the world. I'm quite sure that you will do a wonderful job leading these rebel souls but you will answer to me and to me only. You will do what I tell you to do" he said serious now.

Jules knew she had no choice, she felt inside of her the will to follow him.  
Klaus smiled darkly "That's more likely. Now be a good girl and round-up your wolves, I have big plans for this town"

As he walked away Jules felt like crying, damn him, she felt the irrefutable will to follow him and do what he asked of her, she felt it even more than with Mason.

Klaus was an Alpha and he was a really powerful one.

* * *

Caroline walked with her mother to the Sheriff's department slowly, she smiled at her mother "That was intense... the meeting"

Liz nodded in silence.  
Caroline bit her lip "I'm sorry mom..."

Liz stopped and looked at her daughter surprised "About what sweety?"  
"You know... for becoming this and for making you take sides and protect me and my friends and all that. Everything was easier when I was just a regular teen dating the guy from the football team and all you had to worry about was if I got pregnant before I finished high school" Caroline said without looking at her mother.

Liz laughed softly shaking her head "Caroline I know that it took me a while to get used to the fact that you weren't human again but you are my daughter and I love you"  
Caroline took her eyes from the ground and looked at her mother "I know that I'm hard to handle, I get moody and do stupid stuff... I need a filter for half the things I say but I love you too"

Liz smiled and stroked her daughter's cheek "Just promise me that you will be careful. Jules can't be trusted but neither can Klaus"  
Caroline froze "What?"

Liz gave her a mother knows everything look "I may be a distanced buried in work mother but I am not that unaware"  
"Aren't you late for work?" Caroline mumbled feeling her cheeks burn.

Liz smiled and nodded "I will see you tomorrow. I'm doing the night shift"

Caroline smiled and waved at her mother as she walked away.  
She really needed a drink now.

* * *

The mood inside the Grill was a lot smoother, without all the werewolves breathing on her neck Caroline actually felt good as she came closer to the counter.  
She smiled at Kol "I feel like I have to thank you..."

Kol raised a bunch of papers in his hands "You can do it by telling me who I can hire to deal with all this"  
"You really thought owning a bar would just be about free drinks and women?"

Kol took in a deep breath "I thought it was my shot at the rock star life"  
Caroline laughed "How long have you been trying it?"

"Far too long. But I have a feeling this one will be fun, there are a lot sexy women in this town" he smirked.  
"Oh dear Lord, I feel like I will need strong alcohol for this talk" Caroline said rolling her eyes.

Kol laughed and bent over the counter taking a bottle of scotch and two empty glasses, he filled them and moved one towards Caroline.  
"So what was that you wanted to thank me about?" he asked her raising his glass.

"For politely banning werewolves from this place"  
"It will be a safe haven, mostly because killing people brings the place down, I have to look after the Pub's reputation and all that now" he said and filled their glasses again.

"Spoken like a true business person" she said and nodded at him before taking her second drink.  
"But I'm not banning the women though... werewolves are hot. This Yana girl..." he widened his eyes.

Caroline giggled "I see glimpses of the rock star" she narrowed her eyes.  
"I'd love to try it with a werewolf, by God that has to be awesome" he said excitedly.

Caroline finished her drink "Well Kol... if you survive that, please let me in on the sordid details"  
Kol smiled widely and poured her another drink "I like you Caroline. You should be with my brother"

Caroline took her drink and gave him a look "Not you too, I have enough with Rebekah already"  
Kol shook his head before taking his drink in one take "Nik's always alternating between really gloomy and pissed to really sarcastic and manipulative. I think he's just sexually frustrated. You'd be good for him"

Caroline nearly spilled her drink inside her mouth and coughed, she looked at Kol not sure what to say "That's... sweet"  
Kol poured them another drink "Speaking of the devil..." he said and smiled at Klaus.

"A drink?" he asked his brother.  
Klaus sat on the stool next to her "Sure. Why not?" he looked at Caroline.

Caroline moved on her stool and tried to order her mind not to look at him; Klaus smiled and took his drink slowly.  
Kol immediately noticed the mood and left the two alone.

There was a heavy silence between them; Caroline did her best to stay focused on the label of the bottle.  
Klaus kept to himself and amused reached for the bottle, his scent hit Caroline strongly as he leaned over to grab the beverage.

Caroline turned her head facing him, there they were, these two intense eyes that stubbornly looked at her like she was the only person in this town.

She finally pinpointed what it was that she saw in Klaus' eyes, he looked at her like he was seeing her for the very first time.  
Every single time.

She wasn't remotely used to this; Tyler mostly made stupid jokes about her outfits and then got into fights when other boys would look at her.

Klaus looked attentively at her; taking in every detail of her face, Caroline was just breathtaking.

He had seen his share of beautiful women through the many centuries of his existence but there was something else about this girl.

Something he couldn't fully explain, it wasn't just her raw beauty that left him unbalanced; it was her pain.  
Caroline didn't hide her pain like he did, she wore it on her sleeve, it was there to be seen and touched and she used it as her armor and this was fascinating to him.

"This is a mistake" she said softly.  
"I know Caroline" he replied smiling "But that never stopped me before"

Caroline rested her head on her hand "Are we going to talk about what happened last night?"  
"What do you want to talk about sweetheart?" he teased her drinking his scotch.

"You kissed me" she simply said.  
"If I recall correctly love, you kissed me back"

Caroline smiled "Details... besides..." she slowly got up and picked her drink up "I don't want stand on the way of your world domination plans, so this is me walking... away from you" she said and turned around leaving.

Klaus shook his head smiling "It's rude to eavesdrop sweetheart"  
Caroline giggled but didn't look back at him.

Klaus licked his lips slowly and squint watching her leave.  
"So that's the girl you have been pinning over?"

Klaus smiled widely, his dimples making an appearance of happiness "So they keep telling me"  
The man laughed "She is way out of your league Klaus, like... way too much for you"

Klaus moved so he could look at him "Thank you for the support mate"  
Both men laughed and Klaus stood up, he smashed his hand loudly against the other man's hand and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I didn't expect you until next week Stefan" he said as they broke the manly hug.  
Stefan smiled and rested his hand on Klaus' shoulder squeezing it gently "I was bored in London besides I wanted to see this girl you have mentioned rescuing twice now"

Klaus' huge smile became an awkward blushing one "There were circumstances forcing me"  
Stefan sat on the stool and gave Klaus a look "There is nothing or anyone able to force you into something you don't want to"

Klaus smiled and lowered his head, Stefan was his best friend, the one that knew him, even better than Rebekah, his closest sibling.  
And it was because of it that Stefan didn't push the subject.

"So tell me, how's my house going?"  
"Still not ready, I was not expecting you like I said. Did Bon Jovi stop touring?" Klaus asked snatching a glass for his friend and pouring him a shot.

Stefan laughed "Not all of us are stuck in the 20's Klaus, some of us moved on and enjoy music from the present"  
"Ah the 20's, the Jazz and the snazzy outfits, the women... those were the days" he said lifting his drink.

Stefan clicked his with Klaus "It's good to see you again" he said meaningful.  
"How was your... what did you call it? Bonding time with your brother?"

Stefan sighed "Damon is... unique" he said and dropped his glass on the counter "And your family?"  
"Driving me insane" Klaus said with a smile sharing another drink.

"I suppose Rebekah and Kol are still the same..."  
"Believe it or not, Elijah is the one on my heels. Kol I can take, he's just like a kid, he just needs to be entertained enough to be kept distracted. Rebekah is..." Klaus smiled.

"She doesn't do anything half-speed, she's totally mad" Stefan finished.  
Klaus nodded "But Elijah... he is obsessed with this prophecy"

Stefan leaned over to him "What if he is right?"  
Klaus looked at his friend serious "Don't start Stefan"

"I've known you long enough to know that you are driven by something, every step you have taken and every choice you have made was because something drove you into it. I just don't know what it is"

Klaus twirled his drink "I'm a lost cause Stefan, haven't you figured that one out yet?"

Stefan smiled "I have two lost causes in my life, between you and my brother but I have not given up on neither yet"  
Klaus rolled his eyes "Are you really sure that Bon Jovi aren't on the road right now?"

Stefan flashed his perfect smile "I need a place to stay"  
"You know my home is always open for you" Klaus said and made a toast with Stefan.

* * *

"Hey Matt" Rebekah said happily reaching the two friends that were sitting lazily on the bench in the town's square.

Matt looked at his football mate that smiled and quickly got up leaving the original vampire and Matt alone.

"Hey Bekah..." Matt said a little serious.  
Rebekah frowned "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah... well Bekah..." Matt dueled with his words.  
Rebekah clutched the books she was holding against her chest "What's wrong?"

Matt smiled and rested his elbows on his knees; he took a deep breath and then stood up.  
Rebekah chewed on her lip watching his nervous ways.

"I really like you Bekah" He said.  
Rebekah opened her mouth gasping softly.

"You are fun and you really hot and I really like hanging out with you" he gushed out.  
"I like you too" she quickly said.

Matt smiled and she got a little dizzy, he had such an amazing smile and these blue eyes were just mesmerizing.  
"But your brother Kol just bought the place I work in. So I'd basically be hanging out with my boss' sister"

Rebekah grimaced at his words "What are you saying Matt?"  
"I don't know what I'm saying Bekah... it just feels weird now"

Rebekah watched him knowing she was forever doomed to be alone, this was her curse.  
No matter how much she tried to fit in, she was always left out.  
"You want me to stop talking to you?" she asked avoiding his eyes.

"That's not what I said..." he frowned.  
She looked at him a bit lost.

"I just said it was weird..."  
Rebekah's face came to life with a smile "Weird isn't so bad... it can be cool"

Matt laughed and shook his head.  
"Why are you laughing?" she asked insecure.

"The way you say cool... it's funny with your accent" he answered easily.  
Rebekah rolled her eyes "Stop making fun of me Matt"

"So there's a game tomorrow night" he said and she felt him a lot more at ease.  
"I know... I'll be there cheering for you" She said smiling hugely.

"I think the point is to cheer for the entire team Bekah" he laughed.

Rebekah licked her lips slowly, God, the strong features, the devilish blue eyes, the way his mouth curved when he laughed.  
She shook her head focusing.

"So can we be friends?" she asked him hopeful.  
"Yeah I guess we can manage that... I just... I can't afford to lose this job Bekah. It's the only thing I have" he said honestly.

Rebekah nodded smiling, so friends it would be, for now that was a lot more than she had before coming into town.  
"Are you meeting someone?" he asked her grabbing his bag as it came time to go to practice.

"Yes, Elena. We have a school project to work on" she smiled and watched as he left.  
"See you at the game" he smiled at her and she was entirely lost in it.

* * *

Elena drove to town on her way to meet Rebekah when she recognized the car.

It belonged to one of Jeremy's drug buddies and she shook her head, she was sure he was with them. She pulled over and stepped outside the car going into the woods looking for him. She found him with the group of teens laughing numbly camped outside the old chapel in the Salvatore property.

She pursed her lips mad that her brother was among this group.  
"Jeremy" she called out for him as he laughed loud and lost in his high state with his retched friends.

Jeremy rolled his eyes "What are you doing here Elena?"  
"No... what are _you _doing here?" she asked eyeing him mad.

"We are throwing a party to say goodbye to the chapel, workers will start here next, they are already finishing the house... we had to say a proper goodbye to our beloved place" he laughed and drank his beer.  
The rest of the wasted pack just mumbled incoherent stuff, obviously in a much worse shape than him.

"Let's go home Jeremy" she quietly told him.  
"Why would I?" He defied her.

"Get your ass up and let's go home Jeremy or I call Caroline's mother and end this party with a bang" she told him not leaving any margin of error.  
Jeremy looked at his friends and stood up, he threw the beer away and started walking, he bumped her shoulder on purpose; Elena shook her head feeling hopeless.

They didn't speak for a while but as they reached the main road, Elena softly took hold of his arm, Jeremy frown looking at her.  
"Stop" she told him.  
Jeremy tilted his head "Stop what?"

"Stop doing this, stop with the self-destruction" she asked him with her brown eyes sparkling.  
Jeremy shook her hand away from his arm "No, you stop, controlling me and acting like you are my mother"

Elena licked her lips feeling the tiny sting of his words "I know why you are acting like this but it has to stop Jeremy. They died and we were left to find a way to move on. You can't stay mad forever"  
Jeremy looked at his sister numbly "Are you done Elena?"

"Jeremy..." she touched his arm again, trying to assure him that he wasn't alone.  
"They died, I was left with an aunt that was cool to drink with and now she's giving me lunch money and buying me boxers. Her boyfriend moved in acting like he has any idea of what he's doing... I don't need another set of parents. I had them and they were killed..." he swallowed the rest of the words.

"Because of me..." Elena spoke them anyway.  
Jeremy looked at his sister wanting to feel anything else but hate but he couldn't. He blamed her for the loss of the two most important persons in his life and he had no idea if he would ever be able to look at her any different.

"I'll walk home" he simply said and left.  
Elena stroked her arms feeling cold and sad, she loved her baby brother more than her own life and not a day had gone by where she hadn't wished it had been her instead.

She turned towards her car and gasped, a boy appeared out of nowhere.  
She placed her hand to her heart instantly and then smiled "You scared me"

He smiled at her, Elena gulped down slightly; she didn't know the stranger.  
The dark black hair combined with amazing blue Ocean eyes caught her attention.

He was compelling and she smiled, Jesus, this town was being crowded lately with really appealing men.  
"I'm sorry if I scared you" the boy said smiling and slightly squinting "Have we met before?"

Elena laughed softly, she would remember if they had "No"  
"Determined" He said "I like that in a woman" he added.

"Really? Well I'll keep that in mind for future reference" she said smiling.  
"I'm Damon" he said shaking his head "You... look just like someone I used to know"

Elena smiled weakly, how many times had she heard that line before "Well I'm Elena. Are you new in town?" stupid question that she already knew the answer to.

"This property belongs to me and my brother, we are moving back into town after a small hiatus" he said eyeing Elena with confusion, she looked exactly like her.  
Elena was serious; she knew who he was, or better, what.  
He was a vampire.

"I hope you enjoy your stay Damon" she said smiling nervously and moved past him, she hoped to at least make it to the car before he killed her though the chances were almost none.  
"I'm not here for you"

She froze at his words and turned to face him.  
"Well..." Damon opened his arms and shrug "At least for now"

Elena folded her arms in response.

He smiled pulling the corner of his mouth "I know what you are and you know what I am. Now that we got that out-of-the-way, let's just get to the fun part"  
Elena squint "Are you... flirting with me?"

Damon smiled smugly "Is there a jealous boyfriend I need to worry about?"  
"Yes" Elena fiercely stated "A very jealous and steady boyfriend"

Damon pulled his eyebrows together "You don't look like the boring steady boyfriend type"  
Elena couldn't help the smile in her face "I guess you are going to tell me now what is my type"

"Of course" Damon said opening his hands proving a point.  
Elena unwillingly laughed softly, Damon smiled; he liked the way she laughed.

"So tell me Damon, what am I looking for?"  
Damon took a step closer to her "Passion, fire, an all-consuming love that will leave you breathless every time you think about him"

Elena smiled and lowered her head, her straight flawless hair fell across her face, she frown and looked up at him, she found these two deep blue eyes looking at her.  
"How about you Damon? What are you looking for?" she asked him.

Damon wasn't expecting the question and it took him a little of guard which was surprising to him.

"I have found what I was looking for... and then I lost her" he said seriously.  
Elena smiled sadly at him "I'm sorry for your loss Damon" she quietly said and left towards her car.

Damon watched as she drove away, he shook his head, get a grip Damon, he told himself and walked away.

* * *

Elena was still a little shaken by her earlier encounter when she met Rebekah.  
"Sorry I'm late..." she hurried to the blonde girl.

"It's all right" Rebekah said still thinking about Matt.  
"Where do you want to do this?" Elena asked raising her books.

Rebekah gave her a raised eyebrow as an answer.  
"The Grill sounds great" Elena said and they both laughed.

They found Caroline and Bonnie discussing who the best couple of Dancing with the Stars was this season .  
"Are you serious?" Caroline said throwing her head back in despair.

Bonnie gasped "YES; they are better"  
Caroline shook her head "They are not. They totally suck at the waltz"

"I guess you are the expert" Bonnie folded her arms.  
Caroline pursed her lips "So true" she said with a sigh.

The girls laughed at her expression.

"Weren't you supposed to be studying or something?" Bonnie asked Elena and Rebekah as they sat on the table.  
"We are..." Elena said with a smile and opened her book.

"It says so much when we spend all of our free time at the Grill" Bonnie sighed.  
"Well we occasionally break into places and wander through the woods" Caroline added casually.

"We just awesome" Bonnie whispered and sipped on her coffee.  
The girls giggled but Rebekah was distracted with something.

"I'll be right back" she said and walked to the bar.  
"Stefan Salvatore" she said reaching the blonde man with her brother.

He turned and smiled warmly at Rebekah "Hello gorgeous"  
She smiled and hugged Stefan "Nik said you were coming but I didn't expect you this week"

"You know me, unpredictable" he said pulling a face.  
Rebekah sighed "If you are here... where's Damon?"

Stefan laughed softly "Possibly lying on some road"

* * *

"You know who the ridiculously attractive man is?" Bonnie asked Caroline.  
"No" she said taking her eyes from Klaus before he caught her looking at him again.

Elena clasped her lips "I just bumped into Damon Salvatore just now"  
The girls looked at her.

She smiled "Hot" she whispered and looked down at her book.

"Why do I have the feeling that every really hot guy was born hundreds of years ago?" Bonnie said mopping into her coffee mug.  
Elena sighed loudly while Caroline smiled; she focused on her mug as well when Tyler stopped by her table.

"Can I talk to you?" He hissed at her.  
Caroline took a deep breath "No"

Tyler came closer to her "I need to talk to you... now Caroline"  
She looked up at him furious "We aren't together any more Tyler, you don't get to boss me around"

Tyler looked at Elena and Bonnie that pierced him with those judging eyes.  
"Can you step outside with me Caroline... please?" he said barely mumbling the last word.

Caroline sighed and looked at Elena that slightly shook her head; she looked at Tyler and knew he would cause one of his famous scenes.  
She stood up and snarled under her breath when he tried to grab her arm. He slowly raised his hands and stood aside so she could move.

As soon as she reached outside she faced him "What is it?"  
"What were you doing at that club yesterday with Klaus?" he asked her serious.

Caroline was stunned with his question and worst, his knowledge.  
"How do you know about that?"

"I know a lot of things Caroline. I just don't know why you are shacking up with the enemy"  
Caroline looked down on the floor hurt, this was Tyler at his best.

"I was supposed to go with Bonnie but Klaus and Kol just tagged along" she simply said.  
"What the hell are you doing?" he snapped at her.

Caroline shook her head "What do you mean?"  
"Siding with the guy that no one really knows anything about. Hanging out with him and going to clubs with him? Are you sleeping around with him as well?" he threw at her with spite.

Caroline shot her head back at him; she genuinely felt her insides turn with pain. "Tyler..."  
"Did you know that he sired Jules to do his dirty job? He's going for the Alpha place. They are getting their hands into everything in this town and you are just going along for the ride"

"I'm not siding with anyone, God, if I'm guilty of anything is standing for my friends" she snapped.  
Tyler moved and took hold of her arms mad "Why can't you see that he is just using you?"

Caroline couldn't form the right words to fight his, she was a mess and he was just adding to all her doubts and confusion.  
"You really think that a guy like him would fall for someone like you?" Tyler asked her furious.

Caroline looked down and was wobbly in his arms, if anything, Tyler was really good at always high lightening her insecurities.

"He is using you because you are that much of an idiot Caroline, what? You think he is genuinely interested in you? That the only Hybrid in the world, that can have any woman he pleases and wishes for, probably having hundreds throwing themselves at his feet would settle for you? You really believe that he saw you and just fell in love? At first sight? Your romantic knight in the shiny armour does not exist Caroline, snap out of it"

"Why do you hate me so much?" she asked him on the verge of breaking down into tears.  
"Because of what I am, because you died and I became this... because of you" he spat the words slow and with anger.

Caroline felt her tears run down her cold face "It's not my fault Tyler" she said gulping down.

He tighten his grip around her now fragile arms "You are a vampire, a murderer, you have killed and so many have lost their lives because of you. Everything you touch dies Caroline. Mason died because of you, Brady, me... you killed my humanity when you died triggering my curse... do you have any idea how much it hurts to shift? Do you?" he yelled at her.

Caroline flinched; her tears came stronger and faster.

"It hurts So much... every bone in my body breaks and I have to go through that every full moon because of you" he hissed letting her go harshly, shoving her backwards as he did so.

Caroline stumbled and sharply tried to breathe, she couldn't stop her tears and stood in the parking lot as Tyler walked away mad.  
Caroline tried to compose herself somehow and walked in the opposite direction, she wandered without any destination for the longest time, his words hammering in her mind.

She had no idea where she was, she stopped and looked around, maybe she was close to the cemetery; she turned the corner and saw the gates.  
Without thinking she went inside the gates, walking aimlessly.  
She saw a woman by a grave, placing flowers to her loved one; she ignored the woman until she smelled blood.

The woman cringed as she cut herself on some of the worn out edges of the tombstone.  
Caroline turned to the woman numbly.

_You are a murderer_

His words stinging in her mind.

The woman looked at her smiling "Stupid me, I just cut myself" she said flashing her open wound to Caroline.  
Caroline licked her lips and came closer to the woman "Let me see..." she said.

The woman naturally handed her bleeding palm to Caroline "It doesn't look too bad" the woman smiled.  
Caroline took a deep breath and looked at the woman, she widen her eyes and compelled the woman "Leave now and don't stop until you get home"

The woman moved hypnotized and Caroline had to fight with everything she got not to follow the woman and rip her throat apart and drink from her.

"I am not a murderer" she told herself loud.  
"No you are not" a deep voice came from behind her.

She faced him "What are you doing here?"  
"I followed you" he said and sat casually in front of her.

Caroline ran her hands through her closed eyes "I want to be alone Klaus"  
"No you don't" he said serious.

She looked at him "I do, so please, just leave me alone" she asked him serious as well.  
"You are practically a newborn... and you didn't give in to the blood craving" he said mostly to himself, in a mist of wonder and surprise.

She shook her head; this was definitely too much for her to handle right now "Can you please just leave me alone?"  
"No" he said and crossed his arms smiling.

"Then stay there, I'm leaving... alone" she claimed fiercely.  
"You are stronger than I gave you credit for" he said not moving an inch.

Caroline stopped and sighed, she closed her eyes and when she opened them, she slowly faced him.

Klaus had moved and stood now before her eyes, he looked at her in that unique way of his "But you can be a lot stronger Caroline"  
She clicked her teeth together looking into his eyes, what was he even going on about? And why did he even care?

Klaus gently took her face into his hands and looked deep into her eyes, his voice smooth and alluring "You are hurting and you are angry and you need to take all that you are feeling and embrace it" he spoke and lowered his eyes making them pierce right through her very soul.

"Every time someone hurts you, you take that and you use it but not as a shield Caroline. You have to admit to yourself that you are hurt and you fight back. Fight back with everything you got. Every time someone hurts you, you use it. If they bite, you bite back and if they push you, you pull yourself back up and you push them back. If they run, you run faster. And you do that until you bite harder, until you push them harder, until you outrun them. Until you manage to wound them back as much as they have wounded you" he spoke almost as a whisper and meaningful.

Caroline listened to his words and the way he spoke them and felt like they hit something inside her, they hit her hard.  
"So pick yourself up and get stronger from this. Pain doesn't have to cripple you, it only makes you stronger" he finished fiercely.

Caroline wasn't scared of him, she had never been, for some inexplicable reason she couldn't bring herself to be scared of Klaus.  
And now as he stood this close to her, she only felt… safety.

It was a terrible thing to feel because she had no idea what it meant or how to deal with it, no one had ever cared enough to stand up for her like this and even if she was nothing more than a game to him, she didn't care any more. As long as she got what she wanted from this as well, she was willing to play his game.

Caroline nodded at him and he smiled his wicked smile.  
Maybe Stefan was right after all and Caroline was a lot more challenging than he expected but he didn't really care because he felt her lips on his and everything else became unimportant.

Caroline softened against his body and got her hand lost in his necklaces, stroking his neck going up to his hair and smiling because yeah, that's the other thing about Klaus, he also kissed her like no other man had ever kissed her and she couldn't get enough of it.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

These days - _Foo Fighters_


	13. Sage

"What do you mean it doesn't count Kol?" Caroline gasped.

"I didn't say it didn't count... I said it was a grey area" he defended himself.  
"You just said it was only fair to count before you were turned" Bonnie said raising her arms in the air.

Kol laughed and handed the girls another beer "I'm being judged on the counters of being a vampire the longest among this group"  
Elena narrowed and pursed her lips "You are just afraid to admit that you are older than us"

"I'm not afraid of anything Elena, it's just that it depends on what you are using as a reference, my human age before I was turned or my slightly bigger vampire age"  
Caroline and Bonnie laughed loud.

"Grandpa" Bonnie said pulling one of her funny faces.  
Kol sighed; he wasn't really winning this argument with the girls.

They had come to the Grill after the game and stayed here for hours. Now there were only them and Kol left inside the empty bar, since Rebekah had just left with Matt.  
"You have lived longer so that has to count. You are the oldest in this group" Caroline said.

"But I was just around your age when I became a vampire" Kol exasperated.  
"_Around_..." Bonnie mumbled to Elena and they both started giggling.

Kol shook his head but laughed, he had never been one to have many friends, well truth be told he didn't stay long in a place to make any friends and it was even stranger for him that he was in danger of considering these girls as friends, instead of using his natural charm on them for more lustful purposes.  
He actually had no interest in that; he simply enjoyed talking and having someone listening willingly to him for a change.

The sound of the front door being slammed open pulled him out of his inside ramblings and he looked in that direction frowning.  
"The bar is closed" he said eyeing the two strange men that walked in smugly.

"Doesn't look closed to me" one of them said and smiled at the girls.  
Caroline squinted at them in suspicion.

Kol moved around the counter, resting his hand on the bat hidden behind it "Mate, the bar is closed. Trust me"  
"Even for an old friend?" A tall red hair girl said walking in smiling.

"Sage..." Kol said and gripped his hand around the wooden piece.  
"Hi Kol, it's be while" she said coming his way lazily.

She reached the counter and gave him her best smile "I'm here to pick up my boyfriend"  
Kol smiled "Finn is living in the Caribbean with a black woman. He's working on his tan"

Sage smiled wider "I happen to know he is right..." she made circles with her index on the counter "...here"  
Kol shook his head "Just because the family is here, doesn't mean that he is. We have no idea where he is Sage, we parted ways long ago"

"I know, when he turned me" she said and turned around looking at the table where the girls were.  
Caroline and the others eyed her without moving.

"What do you want Sage?" Kol asked taking the bat down really slow.  
"A little werewolf bird told me that they know where he is" she said looking at Caroline and then Elena.

The girls kept their game face on and didn't even flinch.  
Kol moved fast and choked Sage with his bat, the girl tried to fight him as he pulled her over the counter with speed, she raised her hand telling her sired newborns to stand down.

"Patience was never my thing Sage and darling I never liked you" he hissed in her ear.  
Sage fought him off her but he was stronger.  
"I just want Finn, that's all" she managed to say.

Kol looked at the men eager to jump into a fight "Tell your dogs to back off Sage"  
Sage gave one of her best smiles and two other men came in with Jeremy. The boy looked dozed off, even more than usual being held by his arm.

"Jeremy" Elena said standing up.  
Sage smiled "Can we all just have a decent adult talk now?"

Kol didn't really see the point to it but Elena begged him to let Sage go for Jeremy's sake.  
He eventually did so but kept his bat ready for whoever might come his way.

Sage rubbed her throat slowly "Now... about that talk"

* * *

Matt pulled his truck over the Mikaelson manor and smiled at Rebekah, she looked adorable with her side braid that caught her fringe and wearing his football jacket, she still had her cheerleader outfit.

"Thank you for the ride" she said and moved to return him his jacket.  
"You welcome and you can keep the jacket" he said warmly.

"I'm not cold Matt... I told you that already" she said tilting her head on the seat.  
Matt smiled "I didn't give you the jacket because of that Bekah"  
Rebekah frown.

Matt opened his door and went around the car, he opened her door and she smiled smitten, it was hard to resist Matt's chivalrous ways.  
She stepped outside and Matt couldn't help to look at Rebekah, the short outfit really suited her and the colour made her blonde hair shine.

Maybe it was the adrenaline of winning the game and having her smiling at him and bouncing happy every time he managed a good play or maybe it was just the fact that he really liked this girl. Well, a million year old girl who happened to be really hot and surprisingly sweet.

Rebekah looked at him trying to read him; he was thinking of something, she just didn't know what.  
"I gave you the jacket because the rest of the team was drooling all over you" he said with a hint of a smile but mostly serious.

"Isn't that the idea of wearing the sexy tiny skirt and top?" she teased him.  
"Yeah..." Matt said and placed his hand on the car next to Rebekah, if she still had a beating heart it would be racing like mad right now.

"I really like you Bekah" he said looking at the ground for strength and then looking into her crystal clear blue eyes.  
"I know... you told me that already" she said and was surprised that it came out as a whisper.

Matt smiled and moved that bit so he could come closer to her, enough to take in how truly beautiful this girl was, right now he couldn't care less if she was human or a blood driven vampire, there was only one thing he cared about and it was to know how sweet her lips tasted.

Matt slowly tilted his head and kissed Rebekah, he pressed his lips gently to hers and smiled because her lips were soft and full and he loved how they tasted.

Rebekah barely answered his kiss, not that she didn't want to, God knows she had craved to kiss this guy for days now; it was just that she wasn't that used to humans. She hadn't been with any humans since she was turned and before that, as a human she was all innocent and pure. So she had no idea how much she would react having Matt this close, she only knew that she liked him as well.

Matt kissed her lips again and stroked her cheek smiling "Good night Bekah"  
"Good night Matt" she whispered at him.

Rebekah licked her lips loving that his taste lingered there and watched him drive away; she smiled and went inside her house.  
She grimaced as soon as she saw Damon waiting for her by the porch "That was so sweet and touching. I could even hear the romantic cheesy music playing in the background"

She ignored him and walked to her door determined.  
"I like the new look Bex, it's sassy yet cute. I can totally see you bouncing and spelling names all happy and human like" he teased her.

Rebekah sighed deeply "Are you really going to stay here Damon?"  
"I don't have a place to stay, the boarding house is still under renovation" he displayed his best smile.

Rebekah took a deep breath and looked away, she opened her front door "Well it's a huge house, I'm sure I'll manage to avoid you"  
"Afraid of waking up old memories and flames?" he said with a haunting smiling tone.

Rebekah smiled and took a step back to look at him "I'm just afraid I won't control myself and end up killing you. It would be rude to kill a guest and though Nik would certainly thank me for it, it might upset Stefan. I happen to like Stefan, he was the only thing keeping Nik's humanity alive for so long and I will forever be thankful to him for that. That, is the only reason why you are still walking with all limbs Damon"

Damon smiled his cocky smile "Still not over me huh?" he wiggled his eyebrows.  
"Get a life Damon, you are not that good" she said and went inside closing the door behind her.

She closed her eyes, damn him, why did he still mess with her so much.  
Damon smiled and enjoyed Klaus very old and expensive Scotch. Rebekah was still as hot as he remembered, even more when she was mad at him.

* * *

"I don't know where he is" Elena told Sage looking at Jeremy the entire time; he didn't even seem to know what was happening.  
Sage rolled her eyes and came down from the counter where she had been sitting for the last minutes.

"I had enough, you are stupidly trying to upset me on purpose by lying to me and I don't like that" she said and came closer to Elena.  
Caroline stepped in front of her friend.

"Oh well" Sage said and shrugged. "I wanted to do this in a peaceful way..."  
"Let my brother go" Elena demanded from behind Caroline.

Sage smiled her playful smile and her long red hair fell across her face as she looked at Kol.  
"I know what you are thinking now" she told him "I can take the vampires and her"

Kol smiled and placed his bat over his shoulder.  
"If you do that and vampire princess here tries to help you then I'll kill her mother"

Caroline gasped and then gulped down nervously.  
She looked at Caroline now "A little insurance. I wouldn't really come here without using what I can to get my man back"

Caroline looked at Kol, was this woman bluffing? Kol's expression didn't assure her one bit.  
"How do I know that you just not making this up?" she asked Sage.

The woman lazily laughed "Dear... I know all about you and your friends. Elena's weakness is her baby brother Jeremy. Bonnie doesn't really have anyone left but she would do anything for her friends and you love, the fresh vampire always ready to fight and protect her friends... mummy dearest is my leverage against you"  
Caroline clenched her jaw.

"You shouldn't be playing adults and messing with things that are way out of your abilities" she spoke looking at the remaining girls. "This isn't like the movies where you get away with silly stunts. Finn is my maker, my lover, my one true love and you silly pathetic three have him. I want him back and I will start killing everyone in sight until you deliver him to me and You..." she pointed at Kol "...will stay away from this because it has nothing to do with you and I don't want to start an unnecessary fight with Klaus"

"You think I'm going to sit here and watch you do whatever you are planning without fighting? Sage, you obviously don't know me enough"  
She smiled at him "You are not going to sit here; you are going to walk away and leave me to deal with these Charlie's Angel's here"

"Why would I even remotely think of doing that?"  
"Because I will take Finn and disappear. Vanish from the Earth and never bother your family again" she told him serious.

"You are assuming that Finn will play along" Kol said notoriously intrigued by her proposal.  
"Finn has been locked up inside a coffin and a cave for centuries. He will agree to leave with me and never get back. You and Klaus, Elijah and the elitist bitch of your sister can do whatever you want with your silly lives. I have a brand new world to show Finn and we'll just live, actually live, since your brother took that away from me"

"All right" Kol simply said. "If I walk away now and you find where Finn is, rescue him and eventually run away with him forever and ever, how will I trust that you both will blissfully stay away from Mikael's quest?"  
"I used him to get what I wanted, a location. I knew Finn was in here for a long time, I just needed someone to open that tomb for me. They were perfect for that" she pointed at the girls. "All I had to do was kill off a few families, chase the poor doppelganger, turn a few of her friends and use the witch"

The girls looked at each other knowing they had been played all along.  
"Nothing like sheer fear to manipulate people into doing exactly what you want them to do" she finished with a dark smile.  
Kol looked at the girls and lasted his eyes on Bonnie, he then looked at Sage.

"You will disappear with Finn, if you ever even get mentioned in any country; Nik will find you and kill you. Finn is immortal but you are far from it"  
"I know, but he won't find us. I promise you" she said solemnly.

Kol simply turned around and left.  
Bonnie felt her heart tighten inside her chest with disappointment, how could she have hopped that he would even help them. He looked at the two last vampires by the door and they stepped aside letting him pass.

Caroline looked at Elena, this was way out of her reach; she had no chance at all against an elder vampire and four other visibly stronger vampires.  
Even with Bonnie's help, they would easily kill Jeremy or Elena in the process, worst case scenario, all of them.

"What have you done to my brother?" Elena asked trying to reach him.  
Bonnie grabbed her arm worried that they might hurt her, which made no sense, they were vampires and Bonnie knew that her friends and her would probably not survive tonight.

Sage looked at the kid that fought to keep his head up, failing miserably with every try "He was with some friends that had very nasty and bad things. I killed the rest of them and gave him something a little stronger than the usual green stuff he smokes"  
Elena clenched her teeth mad "You drugged my brother?"

"Yes" she said looking at Elena and formally answering her.  
Elena looked at Sage with so much fury, Jeremy was already on the dangerous route to drugs but still avoided the strong stuff, having him have a hard taste of it was a nightmare come to life.

"You didn't have to kill the kids" Bonnie said eyeing Sage shaking her head as things seemed to get out of control by the minute.  
"Of course I did, how else would I attract the town's Sheriff?" Sage asked surprised.

Caroline closed her eyes for a second, this was her worst fear, that someone might get to her mother and it happened right under her nose.  
"What do you want with us?" Caroline asked in a hoarse voice, as fear closed her throat already.

Sage smiled and sat casually on a table "Between the two of you, is my key out the limbo I have lived in. One of you knows the exact location to Finn"  
Caroline shook her head "We don't know where it is"

"Okay... Elena you should take the time to say goodbye to your lost brother now, I will kill him in five minutes"  
Elena gasped scared at Sage's words, she looked at Caroline.  
"I don't know where he is... I was the only one that knew it but Caroline compelled me to forget" she said looking apologetically at Caroline.

Caroline smiled, she understood, it was Jeremy's life, Elena had no choice.  
"Then we have a problem... the clock is ticking by the way" she informed Elena.

Elena looked at her baby brother, her heart was clenching inside her chest so much right now.  
Sage sighed "Ok, I'm tired of waiting, five minutes is too long" she said and flashed to Jeremy.

She grabbed the kids head and prepared to snap his neck, Bonnie closed her eyes and the vampires fell to their knees. Elena raced to her brother but was stopped by Sage; the vampire painfully stood up fighting Bonnie's induced migraines, she laced her arm strongly around the fragile neck of the doppelganger.

"Stop... or I kill her" she said between pants.  
Bonnie took a deep breath and stopped her magic, the vampires slowly gathered themselves.

"Impressive for a young witch" she said and shook her head; her red long hair flew like fire.  
She looked just like the devil Caroline thought to herself and she knew what to do, how to deal with the devil.

"I'll tell you where he is" she said.  
Everyone looked at her but she kept her face and her posture "When I compelled Elena, she told me so I know the exact location"

Sage smiled "You can just be saying that so I spare your friends"  
"You have my mother..." she said.

Sage falter for a minute but she knew Caroline wouldn't gamble with her mother's life.  
"Where is he?"

"I want to see my mother first" she said.  
Sage smiled "Don't play with me princess, you will lose and it will be ugly"

"You want that location so bad that you have spied on our lives for weeks, I want my mother in safety so I will show you where it is. But I want to see my mother alive and well before I do what you want" Caroline pressed her lips together.  
Sage sighed "Very well. This one stays here" she threw Elena to the side, the girl bumped hard against a few chairs.

Caroline started walking but Sage cut her way "Where are we going dear? I need my boys to go get your mother and meet us there"  
"The old tomb under the ruins in Fell's Church" she said looking to the ground.

Sage smiled and moved her head pointing at Bonnie, one of her vampires grabbed the girl, Caroline tried to protest but Sage simply added "I will need a witch to open that tomb"  
"Who is your spy?" Bonnie asked reaching them being dragged harshly.

Sage pulled her shoulders together "A certain werewolf that came to my club"  
Caroline glanced over to her, could he? No, he wouldn't... he hated them but... no...

Sage walked and the vampire followed her with Bonnie. Caroline looked at Elena and smiled at her friend.  
"Care..." Elena said and helplessly watched her two friends leave.

Two vampires were left behind blocking her way out.  
She knelt beside Jeremy and tried to talk to him but Jeremy was in a bad shape.

Elena didn't know what to do, she reached for her cell and immediately the vampires moved, she froze as they came at her intent on killing her.  
She flinched when they stopped and gasped in pain, in the next second they were falling dead and Elijah stood with their hearts in each hand.

Elena gulped down trying not to freak out at the image.  
Elijah threw the hearts away and moved calmly behind the bar counter.

She watched bewildered as he washed his hands and then clean them, he looked around for a mug and poured hot coffee in it.  
He walked to Elena and handed her the mug "Your brother needs strong black coffee for now"

Elena reached her hand slowly for it, her mouth still open in shock "Thank... you" she whispered and stood there with one knee to the ground, her cell in one hand and the mug in the other. She couldn't take her eyes from Elijah.

"Are you all right Elena?" he asked her softly.  
"Yes..." she answered in a daze.

"Where did they go?" Kol asked her and she realised he was there.  
She looked at Kol and frown "You came back"

Kol shook his head "I never left, I went to call Elijah. Where did they go?"  
Elena woke up from her Elijah drooling moment "Caroline, Oh Kol, Caroline and Bonnie"

"I know, they went with Sage, I need you to form actual words darling and tell me where they went" Kol said slowly on purpose.  
"Caroline is taking them to the tomb, she's going to try to get them inside" she said looking at the two originals.

"It's empty right? Bekah told me" Kol said.  
"It's also under a spell, any vampire that goes in there won't be able to come out, ever" she said feeling that huge tight inside her chest again.

"She's going to try to allure Sage in there but she will be trapped inside as well" Elijah said "I'll stay here with Elena"  
Kol nodded and left.  
Elena looked at Elijah "I can't stay here and do nothing Elijah"

"Your brother needs you now" he said and she knew he was right but it still hurt her like hell having to choose between him and her friends right now.

* * *

"Do your thing witch" Sage ordered Bonnie as they stood in front of the closed tomb.  
"Not until we see Caroline's mother" she said trying to buy them time.

There wasn't much they could do but it wouldn't hurt to have a little more time to think of something.  
Sage sighed and looked at one of her lackeys, he used his cell to send a message and a few minutes later another man came inside. Caroline's world crumbled when she saw her mother being dragged along with him.

"Mum..." she mumbled between her teeth.  
Liz was scratched and had dirt across her face and a scruffy looking hair; she had put up a fight.

She looked at her daughter with a faint look in her eyes; she was being used against her and couldn't really do anything about it.  
"So in case you are trying something you shouldn't, keep in mind her neck can easily be broken" Sage told her.  
Caroline nodded in pain, she looked at Bonnie.

Her friend reached for her hand and took it in comfort; she squeezed it hard and then closed her eyes starting a mantra in mumbles that no one understood.  
The huge rock in front of them started trembling, wanting to move.

Bonnie let go of Caroline's hand and raised both her hands in the air, the spell louder now, the rock started moving. She stopped and looked at Sage.  
"It's done"

Sage squint "That's all?"  
Bonnie stepped aside "You can remove the rock in the entrance, the real spell was meant to keep vampires from going in, I removed that one"

Sage seemed suspicious, which was not good. Then she did something much worse, she smiled "I'll be taking her with me" she said taking Liz by her arm.  
The woman looked scared and really lost, only then Caroline noticed that she had been compelled.

"You compelled my mother?" she asked in horror.  
"Tiny detail, she wanted to shoot us all and draw an awful lot of unnecessary noise and attention"  
"Take me, leave her out of this, I'll go inside with you" Caroline said promptly.

Sage looked at Caroline, trying to decide what to do, she smiled hugely and turned around "My favourite Mikaelson" she said behind her into the dark.  
Klaus stepped inside the tomb, Kol and Stefan followed him behind.

"You were always a little lying wench Sage" he said sizing the situation.

Sage noticed how Klaus looked around and she didn't miss the way he looked different; too focused. That was her speciality, the attention to the way everyone moved around each other and acted. She was really good at it and it always brought her perfect ways out of everything.

So maybe what the werewolf kid had told her was right. She noticed the way Klaus never looked at Caroline, he would sweep the room but his eyes never met hers and she smiled. Dear Klaus that was the number one rule to give away genuine concern for someone upon faced with a dangerous situation.

"I was just going inside the tomb to get your big brother, care to join me?" she asked him.  
"Why not?" Klaus said smiling.

Sage smiled and moved but took Liz with her, Caroline moved in her place.  
The red-haired looked at Caroline "I compelled her to kill herself at my word, I'd be careful about your next move"

Caroline clicked her teeth together and breathed hard and painfully.  
The two vampires under her orders moved the rock and Sage prepared to go inside, she looked at Klaus that bowed his head slightly "Ladies first"

Sage tilted her head "Are you going to let me walk out of here with Finn?"  
"Kol told me about your plans, as long as you two don't ever resurface again, I will allow you both to live" Klaus explained one step away from going in.

"You can't kill Finn, he is immortal" she told him eyeing him with doubt.  
Klaus smile was huge and dark "Being stuffed inside a coffin for eternity can't be called living love"

Sage nodded and pushed Liz inside the tomb "Let's go get him" she said and finally stepped inside the cave.  
Caroline took a step forward as well and finally Klaus looked at her, he pierced her with his serious eyes, he clenched his jaw mad that she would even consider it.

Caroline shared a complete dialogue with him by just looking at him and she was left yelling at him with her eyes.  
"What's going on..." Sage said looking at them and then it finally hit her.

She placed a hand in front of her and realised she was block out by an invisible wall.  
Her lackeys tried to move but Kol knocked one out with his bat and Stefan took the other one's heart with his hand.

Sage yelled mad and Caroline knew she had to do something; her mother was just deadened under the compulsion.  
"You tricked me" Sage yelled mad. "You led me in here and now I'm trapped inside"

"You were never that smart Sage, probably why poor Finn liked you" Kol said with a sigh.  
Sage let her fangs out and tilted Liz head harshly "I'll find a way out but in the meantime I'll use her as food"  
"No..." Caroline hissed through her clenched teeth.

Sage snarled "Finn isn't in here, is he?"  
Klaus looked at her and she brought Liz neck closer "Then I suggest you find him and bring him to me or I kill this one"

"I suggest you go easy on her cos she will be the last food you will have until you finally start to desiccate" he coldly told Sage.  
Sage snarled and pulled Liz further inside the tomb, disappearing into the darkness.

"MUM" Caroline screamed and flashed inside the tomb after her mother.  
But Klaus caught her and pulled her to him.

"No, what are you doing? Let me go Klaus" she fought him.  
Klaus remained serious, impenetrable as he kept his strong hold on her.

"Let me go" she yelled and tried to free herself always looking at that entrance.  
Klaus pulled her outside and finally let her go, she staggered in shock and mad at him. She faced him angrily "What the hell are you thinking? I have to get in there"

Klaus said nothing; he just looked at her with a blank expression.  
She tried to move past him back inside but Klaus stepped in front of her "If you go down those stairs I will kill you Caroline"

She breathed in sharply at his tone "That's my mother in there" she said between her teeth fighting weak tears.  
"I don't care" he said.

Caroline tried to move again but he grabbed her arms, he wasn't really hurting her she managed to think but still held her firmly "Sage cannot leave that tomb and I will not let anything or anyone change that" he spoke eerily.

"She will kill my mother" she said searching for that side of Klaus she had seen now more than once.  
But there was nothing there but the determination to keep her away.

"She's probably dead already" he simply said and she shook his hold from her.

"I hate you. Was that on your little advice list as well? Cos I hate you so much right now that I don't want to look into your face ever again. I hope that makes me a lot stronger Klaus, I really hope it makes me fight harder" she told him mad but mostly disappointed.

She walked away fighting tears and all the agonizing feelings inside her.  
Bonnie ran after her friend and Kol followed them.

Stefan stopped by Klaus side; he looked at his friend "If Caroline stepped inside that tomb, Sage would have ripped her apart right in front of you, just to get to you"

Klaus didn't say a word, he just looked down on the ground silently.  
Stefan shook his head "Klaus... if you care this much for this one girl it's probably for the best that she hates you now"

"I know" Klaus simply said and walked away.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Hurricane - _30 Seconds to Mars_


	14. So this is goodbye

Tyler came out of the Grill smugly smiling because no one had made him leave the pub, the silly no werewolves rule obviously didn't affect him and he was happy, this would definitely win points with his pack.

He pulled the key out of his coat and made his way to the car when a blur hit him out of nowhere and he was harshly pinned against Matt's old truck, he gushed for air and narrowed when he saw Caroline flashing her fangs mad at him.  
"Care..." he simply said really stunned by her doings.

She gripped his throat mad "It's one thing to push me around and make my life miserable. It's one thing to blame me for what happen but it's a very different thing to involve my mum into this"  
He pulled his head back in surprise "What are you talking about?"

Caroline snarled and pushed him hard as he tried to grab her hand and release her hold on him "Sage has my mother trapped inside a tomb with her, because you gave her information on every one of us"  
"I did what?" he asked appalled and shook his head "I only talked to that Sage once and it was when she kicked me out of her club"

Caroline retracted her fangs "I don't believe you" she hissed.  
"It wasn't me, I haven't told her anything" he shouted at her getting angrier.

"She knew all about our families and who to use against us, she knew about the coffin and that Elena and I knew where it was"  
"I didn't tell her anything, neither did Mason, we got politely asked to never return to that club again before we got the chance to even talk to her"

"What did you want with her?" Caroline asked letting go of him but still not totally convinced of his innocence.  
"A vampire running a werewolf hang out? It raised a lot of questions Mason wanted answers to and when we found out it was Sage, someone who knew about the Originals, we had to go investigate" Tyler said picking the keys from the ground "Anything else Caroline?"

"Yes" she said and came closer to him again "How did you find out it was Sage that owned **Cave**?"  
Tyler sighed "Yana went there once and hooked up with some guy that worked there, he told her all about this vampire with red hair that used to date an Original that had mysteriously vanished from the Earth"

Caroline didn't need anything else, she was on a mission and she wouldn't be stopped. She turned around towards the Grill and Tyler picked his cell.  
"We need to talk..." he told the sexy voice that greeted him.

* * *

"Can't we do anything?" Elena asked Bonnie anxiously.  
Bonnie shrugged "What can we do? Go inside that tomb and get killed as well?"

Elena shook her head "We have to do something, Caroline is desperate and she has every right to be, it's her mother in there"  
"I don't know if she's still alive..." Rebekah quietly said in her seat.

Both girls looked at her.  
"It's true... if she listens to Nik and realises she will be in there trapped for eternity, she might spare Liz so she can have food for a while but I don't know. Sage isn't that smart" Rebekah said a little uneasy, exactly how she felt because she had no idea how to act now around them considering what went down recently.

Bonnie looked at the door and saw Caroline coming in, she was going to wave giving away their table but Caroline went straight after Yana that was going to the bathroom.  
"OH I know that look..." Bonnie said getting up immediately.

She rushed to the bathroom where she found Caroline on top of a helpless Yana wriggling on the floor.  
"Caroline" Bonnie called afraid she might kill the girl.

Her friend didn't look at her "Watch the door, I'm having a nice chat with _Amish girl _here"  
Yana clasped her lips angry, she hated when Caroline made fun of her fun summer dresses.

Bonnie sighed and did what she was told; she watched for movement and even sent a couple of girls away telling them the water in the bathroom wasn't working.  
She heard rumble inside and peaked inside.

"...tell me everything Yana or I swear I will be wearing your insides as accessories tonight" Caroline told Yana calmly and Bonnie closed the door, maybe she should call Elena for back up.  
She only took two steps because Kol was coming her way; she smiled and stopped him by stepping in front of him.

He pulled that wonderful Kol smile on her "Some girls said there was something wrong with the..." he stopped because Bonnie's nervous smile totally gave her away "What's going on?"  
"Nothing..." she laughed jittery.

Kol took a step to the left and she cut him off again "You can't go in there, that's the ladies room" she said trying to reason with him.  
"Darling, you may be an amazing witch but you are a lousy liar"

Bonnie raised her hands "Just wait... ok? Caroline is talking to someone"  
"Maybe she needs help" Kol said amused.

"Stay here" she told him a little more sternly that she intended.  
Kol raised his eyebrows smiling at her "I don't enjoy being bossed around Bonnie or kept in the dark"

She shook her head smiling as well "They are just talking and it should be over soon"  
A muffled scream came from behind her and she displayed her best smile "One way or another"

Kol laughed, these girls were even harder to handle than his own sister.  
Bonnie could tell he wasn't going to insist on this and she liked that he was making an effort here and that she felt so at ease around him.

For a moment none spoke, they just looked at each other and the fact that both broke away eye contact smiling awkwardly left Bonnie a little wobbly, this was one of the most ancient vampires in the world practically flirting with her.  
"Excuse me, you are blocking the way" a warm voice said behind Kol.

Bonnie gasped and moved, she felt her heart race as she saw the familiar handsome face.  
He smiled hugely when he saw her "Bonnie"

"Hey... Luka" she said forging an honest smile "When did you get back?"  
"Finished school earlier this year so I asked my dad to return for the Summer" he explained looking at her bewildered. She was just stunning with each year; she seemed to get more beautiful with time.

"Is it Summer already? I totally lost track" she said laughing softly and moving her eyes away from him.  
Luka felt sad that she still held such a grudge on him for choosing to go away into boarding school instead of staying in town with her. It had cost their relationship and things had never been the same after that. He still loved her though.

He looked at the unknown boy standing there watching both of them in silence "Hey... I'm Luka..."  
Kol was going to talk but Bonnie cut him off before he said a word "Oh sorry, I totally forgot, this is Kol, my boyfriend" she said and laced an arm around Kol's waist.

Kol chuckled quietly but didn't call her lie out, he reached his hand to the other boy "Kol Mikaelson, nice to meet you"  
Luka grimaced visibly shaken by the new information, he shook hands with Kol solemnly opposite to the huge smile on Kol's face, this was definitely entertaining for him.

"I didn't know..." he turned to Bonnie.  
She sighed "It was one of those things, it just happened" she said with a smile and looked at Kol that laced his arm tightly around her shoulders.

"Yes, it was love at first sight, so powerful and lovely. Bonnie is just amazing" he said squeezing her.  
She laughed awkwardly and placed her hand to his chest "True love. Kol is just a teddy bear"

"Nawww darling, you are always so sweet to me" he said lowering his hand and lacing it around her waist now.  
Bonnie let some air out as he naughtily took advantage to feel her really close to him, she gave him a look and he flashed that perfect smile of his.

"I'm happy for you..." Luka said smiling "You seem happy"  
Bonnie nodded "Blissful"

Luka smiled and then moved past them towards the bathroom, Bonnie gulped down, her ex-boyfriend was in town; things only seemed to get worst by the hour lately.  
"Next time we should kiss... it will be a lot more convincing" Kol told her dangerously close to her.

She realised his arm was still around her, that her hand was still on his really hard chest and that his scent was overpowering, she never realised how amazing Kol smelled.  
She shook her head gathering herself and pushed him away from her, Kol laughed.

"Thank you" she mumbled.  
"My pleasure love, so that's the dreadful ex?" he asked her.

"Luka is like me... we kind of ended up together because of our powers" she explained.  
"So he's a... _witch_?"

Bonnie laughed at his facial expression "He prefers to be called Warlock"  
Kol smiled and they both turned to the door from which Caroline strut out.

Bonnie smiled at Kol and followed her friend, they didn't stop until they reached Caroline's car.  
"Where are we going?" Bonnie asked.

"To get my mother back" Caroline said and drove away.

* * *

"Should we go after Caroline and Bonnie? they seemed like they were about to do something really stupid" Rebekah said to Elena.

The brunet stood up grabbing her coat nodding; they rushed to her car and tried to follow Caroline but a car cut them off, Elena and Rebekah stepped down and saw Alaric and Jenna come out.

Elena shook her head not understanding.  
"Where do you think you are going?" Alaric asked.

"To Rebekah's..." Elena lied and hopped it would be enough.  
Jenna gave her a look showing just how wrong she was.

"I am not going to let you walk into certain death" Alaric said unwavering.  
"I can't let Caroline and Bonnie alone" Elena protested.

"No" Jenna said and came closer to Elena "Get inside, Alaric will drive Rebekah home"  
"I can walk" Rebekah said knowing she was an extra in this family meeting.

She walked away and Elena looked mad at her substitute parents.  
Jenna walked to Elena's car and she knew she didn't have much choice, rarely she pulled of her guardian status but when she did so, she was plain scary.

Elena closed her door quietly and fixed her straight hair.  
"What were you thinking Elena?"

Elena looked down on her lap "Caroline might need my help" she simply said.  
"I have let this go on for far too long Elena, I never wanted to make you hate me and I just lost control of everything. Jeremy is a lost soul drowning his sorrows in drugs; I just went through all of his drawers and searched all of his room for any hidden stash. I became my mother..." Jenna said shaking her head in disbelief.

"Jenna..."  
She looked at Elena cutting her off immediately "But you? I never had to worry about you, at least not more than the usual girls things and the little adventures you and your friends got into but this is too much Elena. There are people dying and you are hiding all this from me and Alaric. You thought I wouldn't find out about it?"

Elena looked outside her window without answering her.  
"But this ends now. I'm sending Jeremy away into a school that deals with problematic kids"

Elena sighed and kept looking outside her window "It won't do any good, he's still going to hate me"  
"You can't keep blaming yourself for what happened with your parents Elena or for Jeremy's rebellion"

Elena smiled, like that was so easy to do, even her brother thought it should have been her to die instead.  
"It's too late to try to fix any of us Jenna" Elena simply said and played with her Vervain bracelet.

They reached her house and she was surprised to see Elijah outside by his car.  
"Good evening ladies, may I have a quick word with Elena?" Elijah asked Jenna.

Jenna looked at Alaric "It's not a good time Elijah" she said feeling angry that Alaric hadn't handled this before they arrived.  
"It will only take a few minutes" Elijah insisted.

"I'll be right in Aunt Jenna" Elena said smiling.  
Jenna sighed, the only times Elena called her aunt was when she really wanted something "10 minutes" she warned and went inside.

Elena smiled at Elijah "Thank you, I could use the ten minutes of peace before I get grounded for life"  
Elijah smiled "It appears you and your friends are making our lives really hard Elena"

She grimaced immediately, this was not expected.  
"You have to stop messing around with things you don't know" he told her.

Elena licked her lips "Are you referring to anything in particular?"  
Elijah smiled and leaned over his car folding his arms, Elena couldn't help to notice how well toned his chest was as his shirt glued to his body.

"This entire adventure club you had with Caroline and Bonnie might have been fun but it needs to end Elena. Neither of you has any idea of the things you are steering up"

"Well Elijah..." Elena sighed "It's not like we had a lot of people who actually knew what to do. If you want to count a history teacher that is as good with parenting as he is hunting vampires, an aunt that was called out in the middle of a Sorority party to identify her sister in the morgue then be my guest. I wasn't lucky enough to have an Original protecting me and making sure vampires didn't scroll into town and kill everyone I loved. I didn't get to have an immortal bodyguard filling me in on all the supernatural aspects of my birth and blood, so excuse me Elijah if I dared to take things into my own hands and did whatever I could think of to stay alive and keep my remaining friends safe" she said and left inside her home upset.

Elijah smiled hugely, why did all the doppelgangers have that fire that was so irresistible?

* * *

"SAGE" Caroline yelled into the dark cave.  
She looked at Bonnie when she got no answer.

"Are you sure about this?" Bonnie whispered.  
Caroline simply nodded and took a deep breath "I need 10 minutes" she told her friend and stepped inside that tomb.

Bonnie started working on her spell clutching Emilie's old necklace in her hand.  
Caroline walked slowly with a flash light, she barely saw an inch in front of her but she adapted to the sheer darkness fast.

"Sage? I need to talk to you" she shouted and lowered her head in order to focus on any noise, the fact that everything was buried in such a deep silence worried her.

She faced a crossroad and turned left, a few steps later she was painfully shoved against the cold wall. She knelt and barely had time to react as Sage came at her furious, she pushed Caroline against an edge and the sharp formed rock there pierced through her back; she could feel the pain rip through her rib.

"Nice to see you too Princess Barbie" she hissed at Caroline.  
Caroline cringed in pain "Where's my mother?"

"Headless" Sage simply said.  
Caroline gulped down "I want to see her"

"Why would I even listen to you? You brought me here, tricked me and imprisoned me inside this place"  
"Because I do know where Finn is"

Sage slightly pulled away from Caroline measuring the girl.  
"It's true, I know where he is and I'll tell you if you let my mother walk away from here unharmed"

Sage smiled and tilted her head, Caroline looked in that direction and froze, her mother was lying on the ground, she couldn't really tell if she was alive, she only saw blood stains in her shirt and knew Sage had been feeding of her, she clenched her teeth together mad and tried to go to her mother but Sage pushed her again and the wound sting in her side, not fully healed yet.

"Not so fast Princess, first tell me where he is"  
Caroline shook her head "Let me go to her first"

Sage flashed a wicked smile "No need, she's been fed with my blood"  
Caroline's world began to crumble "Just let her out of here, I know that you compelled Yana, to tell you everything about us. So you know that my mother is all I have left. I swear on her life that Finn is inside the old chapel by the Salvatore property. Hand me my mother back to me and I will let you go to him"

Sage narrowed her eyebrows "You are letting me out?"  
"Bonnie will hold the spell enough for us to go out but my mother goes out first as insurance. Then you can go get Finn"

Sage smiled "You really are something else Caroline"  
Caroline hated the way she said her name but tried to keep it all under control, she was half way through her plan.

Sage flashed and grabbed Liz by the arm, the woman moaned and roughly stood up, Caroline gulped down her panic.  
"I think I'll just take her as my safety card" Sage said and walked away with Liz.

Caroline flinched touching her healing wound and followed Sage closely behind.  
They reached the entrance and Sage snarled, Klaus was waiting for them.

Bonnie wasn't there any more and Caroline was worried.

* * *

Rebekah rushed towards Fell's Church and got upset when she saw Damon standing outside.  
"Don't even think about it, my brother and your brother don't want anyone down there"

Rebekah ignored the stupid grin on his face "Move Damon"  
"Sexy Bex... why are you making things harder? There's no reason for that"

"MOVE" she yelled at him.  
Damon stepped in front of her and raised an eyebrow at her.

"Still the same stubborn girl?"  
"Still the same moron?" she threw back at him.

"Pretty much but let's not linger on that one" he flashed his best Damon smile.  
"I need to get down there" she told him.

"I think the most important question here is..." he placed a finger to his lips "Is this thing with the quarterback serious?"  
"What?" she asked him perplexed.

"I think that you aren't truly over me and that he is just a distraction, which is totally fine by me, God knows how many of these distractions I had" Damon rolled his eyes.  
Rebekah sighed "Damon... let me in there"

He pulled a naughty smile on her "Stop being such a tease"  
She snarled and tried to push him but he didn't budge, it wasn't that she wasn't a lot stronger than him, she was.  
She could simply kill him but still he was Damon and they had a lot of history together and even if she hated him, she was unable to hurt him.

Damon's smile was gone with Rebekah's proximity, his baby blue eyes took her in, the way her lips curved, the perfect line to her nose and her eyes, these eyes he had looked into so many times while they made love.

"Bekah... it's better if you let Klaus handle this one alone, he won't be able to focus with you down there and I think the main goal here is to get Caroline back alive" he said as quietly as his memories of their past together came back to him.

She looked up and met his eyes; she too was assaulted with whispered words and endless nights between them.  
"How did he found out she was coming here?" she asked him lingering on his lips.

Damon smiled "Klaus wouldn't leave this place unwatched, he has wolves now"  
Rebekah licked her lips unconsciously "He expected Caroline to come here"

"He knew she would be foolish enough to try it so all he had to do was wait that she brought the witch to lift the spell so he could get in and kill the red hair bitch"  
She nodded and became conscious that she was too close to Damon. She stepped back at once.

"Bex..." he whispered.  
"I can't Damon... I can't forgive you" she said and walked away.

Damon watched her understanding because he couldn't forgive himself neither.

* * *

"Just let my mother go" Caroline begged Sage again.  
Sage looked at Klaus "You are not going to let me out of here alive"

Klaus smiled and shrugged "You know me too well Sage"  
Sage shook her head mad and stepped outside the entrance, Caroline followed her and looked at Klaus. He seemed untouched by everything, he was set on killing Sage, this much she was sure of but so was Sage that pulled Liz closer to her.

Finally the woman seemed out of her daze and compulsion and looked at Caroline.  
Caroline tried to think fast, she had a deal with Sage but it meant nothing if Klaus killed her, unless she managed to get her mother free before that.

This was a typical stand-off, Klaus didn't want Sage out, Caroline needed her mother safe and Sage desperately wanted to live so she could get to her long life love. Someone wasn't going to make it.

In a flick of a moment Caroline's world changed, everything she knew was in risk.  
Sage's malice smile took over and she laced her arm around Liz neck.

"If I'm going down, I'm taking a few with me..." she said and before Caroline could do anything, Klaus spoke in his cold way.  
"You won't leave this tomb alive Sage and I was inside just now so I heard the location to my brother's body. That's being taken cared of right now"

Caroline looked at Klaus but he was unreadable to her, he took a menacing step towards Sage and the vampire gripped Liz neck harder making her chock.  
"AH I wouldn't do that, it might cause a little bridge between you and your Princess there"

Klaus fulminated her with his intense blue eyes "Say your goodbyes Sage"  
"I know where Mikael is" she tried as a last attempt.

Klaus smiled "No you don't" he said and moved.  
Sage snarled and prepared to get rid of the human in her hands.

"Klaus wait..." Caroline begged.

Klaus looked at her and in that exact moment she realised how much her life was about to change, the look in his eyes was cold, ruthless and without emotion, he looked back at Sage and the vampire simply twisted Liz neck, the body going flaccid in her arms.  
She dropped the human down and smiled at Klaus, she wasn't going down without a fight.

Caroline had no idea for how long they fought or how the fight went down, she was paralysed in the ground, she couldn't even move towards her mother's dead body.  
She felt sick to her stomach, dizzy and about to collapse, her mother was dead.

"Caroline..." a voice pulled her back into this world, where nothing made sense any more.  
She looked up to him numb.

"Caroline she was fed with Sage's blood..." he gently told her and his eyes weren't cold any more, they were soft and spoke of many things he would never be able to tell her.  
Caroline blinked "How did you know?" she whispered.

Klaus sighed and crouched in front of her, Caroline was sitting on the ground unable to process what just happened.  
He grabbed her arms gently "I didn't"

The words finally snapped Caroline from her unfeeling state and she angrily shook his hands off her. Klaus tilted his head sternly looking at her "I won't start defending myself to you but I couldn't risk Sage to get out of here alive"  
"Where's Bonnie?" she asked between her teeth mad.

"She's with Stefan"  
"Let Bonnie go" she told him clenching her jaw mad and getting up.

As did Klaus looking at her with an expression she couldn't really tell what it was, she didn't know him and it had been silly of her to think she had a glimpse into him before.  
"She isn't my hostage" he said almost appalled.

Caroline walked past him to her mother, Klaus grabbed her arm.  
She didn't look at him, she looked at Sage's head lying next to her body and her mother's own body curled up on the ground.

Klaus licked his lips "I know that you don't see it right now but sometimes you have to sacrifice some in order to protect others"  
Caroline freed herself from him "Don't ever touch me again Klaus" she simply told him and went to her mother.

Before Liz woke up, Klaus was gone.

* * *

"Smart thing to do, hide him here in plain sight" Stefan said opening the old chapel's door.  
"We thought so at the time" Bonnie said checking her cell worried.

"Klaus won't let anything happen to Caroline" Stefan assured her.  
Bonnie looked at him surprised.

He laughed "I've known Klaus most of my vampire life. I know him and Sage won't make it out of that tomb alive but Caroline is safe because Klaus won't let Sage even near her"  
"I heard Caroline fight with Sage, when you got to me and dragged me out of that tomb"

Stefan looked down on the ground and then at Bonnie "You are all too young, you have no idea what it takes to survive in this world. Caroline is a vampire, she can take it and Klaus knows that"  
"Why is Klaus so interested in Caroline?"

Stefan smiled "That's the million dollar question. Klaus doesn't let anyone in but this girl got in somehow"  
Bonnie came closer to the old dusty coffin on the altar and looked at Stefan that stood across her.

"Who is this man who can easily kill or protect so fiercely?"  
Stefan cleaned the dust a little and opened the coffin; he looked at the older Mikaelson grey and desiccated, with a dagger in his chest. He closed the coffin again.

"Klaus is one of a kind simply put" Stefan replied.  
"I read your journals Stefan, I read of your ripper days and how you met Klaus during that time..." Bonnie ventured a little into their past.

Stefan smiled "Klaus only surrounds himself with strong people, everyone close enough to him must be able to handle themselves, so that he doesn't have to worry about them. Klaus only weakness is the fear of losing the ones he allows to be part of his life. I came into his life in a very dark time of mine and he saw something in me, when I felt lost, without a real purpose that didn't include ripping heads off and he took me in, helped me"

"How can you be so close to someone like Klaus? You changed but he's still Klaus" Bonnie couldn't understand it.

"Klaus taught me to control myself, it isn't about what you can do; it's about being smart enough to know when to use it. He truly has a gift in seeing what drives us, what pushes us forward and makes us get out of bed everyday" Stefan said and moved his arm so that Bonnie walked out in front of him, he closed the door behind him and nodded to Jules that was keeping watch outside. "Don't ever assume you know Klaus, that will be your biggest and last mistake"

"What does Klaus want with Caroline?" Bonnie bluntly asked again.  
Stefan laughed "Oh I think that Klaus doesn't even know the answer to that one just yet"

Bonnie looked after Stefan feeling a lot more lost than before.

* * *

Caroline brought Liz some tea; she smiled at her mother sitting up on her bed.  
"Thank you sweety..." Liz said and smiled because she noticed how her cup was only half way filled; Caroline was shaking and spilled most of it.

She placed the cup on her night stand and took Caroline's hand into hers.  
"How are you feeling?" Caroline asked in a low voice.

"I'm ok... we should talk about what's going to happen" Liz told her daughter.  
"What do you mean? I'll help you with the transition" Caroline said clicking her teeth together afraid of her mother's next words.

"Sweety... you are almost 18 and Carol will make sure you will be ok, everyone in the council has papers ready for cases like this"  
"Like what?" Caroline asked in fear.

"I think you know Caroline" Liz gently said smiling.  
"No, no, no, no..." Caroline shook her head fiercely.

"Caroline... I can't do this, I can't be what I spent all my life fighting against"  
Caroline stood up with a jump; she paced around the room "So you rather die than become what I am?"

"Caroline sweety, you will be ok. You are capable of handling yourself and I will always love you just that I won't be here"  
"You can't leave me..." Caroline said on her very breaking point.

"I can't turn into a vampire Caroline, it would destroy me..." Liz looked at her daughter.  
She looked devastated and she understood but she didn't want to be a vampire, she rather die in peace.

"So this is goodbye..." Caroline whispered. "Why mum?" she tried one last time.

Liz shook her head not knowing what to tell her daughter, there was no real reason; just that she couldn't go through with this.  
Caroline raised her hands in the air practically giving up and left the room quickly, she needed fresh air and went outside, she sat on her stairs feeling alone and lost. Too tired to fight any longer.

She wrapped her arms around herself and stared into the ground, what was she going to do without her mother? How was she supposed to carry on when her link to her human life was dying willingly inside her house?

Caroline licked her lips as she heard him approach her silently.  
"What are you doing here?" she asked staring at her feet now.

"Has she transitioned yet?" He asked her in that low voice of his.  
"No" she said and took a deep breath "She decided not to go through with it"

Klaus didn't speak; he didn't know what to say which was quite a happening.  
"It's fine, I'm fine" she said falling into that apathy state he hated so much.

Klaus took a few steps closer to her "No you are not"  
Caroline looked up at him lethargically "She doesn't want to become the thing she hates most in this world. Me"

The absolute pain behind her words messed with Klaus, he couldn't bloody explain why Caroline messed with him so much; as much as he tried to stay indifferent to her it was impossible. He hadn't been able to stop thinking of her crumbling down inside that cave, he knew he had made the right call, that showing affection for Caroline would be a weakness but still he couldn't get her words out of his head.

"She has a choice Caroline, which was more than you and I ever had" he told her and came to her, he placed his hands on her shoulders and she slowly stood up still looking at him exhausted.  
"I told you to never touch me again" she weakly told him.

Klaus smiled "You also said you were fine"  
"I am fine" she slowly said.

Klaus smiled softly "You are not fine Caroline"

And she looked down, tears finally coming "How can she hate me so much? How can everyone hate what I am? I didn't ask for any of this, I didn't wake up one day and thought: hey I'm gonna have the happiest day of my life, become Miss Mystic Falls, have a huge ugly fight with my boyfriend because I danced with Matt and end up on the hospital. I didn't wake up that day set on getting myself murdered and destroy his perfect life. I didn't expect him to walk out on me when I needed him the most, when I had no idea what was happening to my body and life" she confessed with a hoarse voice. "I didn't ask for any of this Klaus, I wish I had died that day and not come back as... this"

Klaus didn't say a word; he silently pulled her into his arms and held her with one hand on her back and the other on her head.  
Caroline hated him, she hated him for not saving her mother, she hated him for the way he held her close to him, she hated him for the way she felt safe in his arms.

She hated him for a lot of reasons but she loved him for getting her, for comforting her like no one ever had been able to and she loved him for staying with her through the worst night of her life.

She loved him for silently standing there leaned against her mother's threshold as Liz peacefully died with Caroline holding her hand.  
She might loath him in the morning but tonight she was thankful that he didn't leave her alone.

* * *

Jules looked around suspicious of some noise that came from far away, she nodded at another werewolf and went to check on it, she walked deep into the woods, leaving the chapel behind.

Someone was following her; she gulped down and tried to understand why the noise was coming from behind her now.  
She slowed down her pace and turned around hastily as she heard the noise closer, she startled and searched within the darkness for some movement.

Jules placed a hand over her heart when she turned her head and saw Elena standing there.  
"Oh God, you scared me" she said breathing heavy.

"Sorry..." Elena said and smiled "What are you doing here, in the woods?"  
Jules gulped down hard "You are not Elena"

The woman with curly hair smiled and flashed her fangs, she launched herself at Jules and a loud horrific sound echoed through the dark woods.  
Katherine licked the blood in the corner of her mouth and smiled, she dialled her cell and spoke in that sexy voice of hers "It's done"

She ended the call and tilted her head at the dead girl, then she grabbed her arm and carried her through the woods and the quiet night.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

The scientist - _Coldplay_


	15. Revelations

Elena smiled softly and hugged Caroline, the girl returned her hug.  
"Thank you for coming" she said with a small sad smile.

Elena grimaced "Are you sure you don't want to stay at our house?"  
Caroline smiled a little more and squeezed her friend's hand; she looked at Jenna and Alaric that came closer to Elena.

"I'll be ok, stop worrying" Caroline told Elena.  
Very unwillingly she turned and left with her guardians, she waved at Bonnie that stayed behind with Rebekah, Matt and Kol.

Caroline faced her friends managing to keep those tears inside, she was happy that they had come to her mother's funeral service, it was good to have some support from her friends, her own father had sent a text message saying he was buried in work and unable to make it, that he would send her some money later. She had slammed her cell against the wall in anger.

"Do you want us to stay with you?" Rebekah asked warmly.  
Caroline shook her head keeping that strong face on "No, you already did a lot by coming here and helping me keep this as private as I could. I wouldn't handle a lot of noisy and fake people from this town in here and then eating at my house..."

"I could move in with you for a few days Care... you don't have to go through this alone..." Bonnie tried.  
Caroline determinedly shook her head, her long hair waving in the bright sun.

Matt pulled her into his strong arms "Call me if you need anything"  
Caroline smiled at him and nodded "I will, thanks Matt"

* * *

Klaus watched her from afar, having managed to keep his distance, he was fairly sure she hadn't seen him, sombrely taking in her controlled pain and despair for losing her mother.

The witch, the human and his two siblings left and she stayed behind, alone.  
Caroline folded her arms and turned around focusing on the lonely grave that held her dead mother in.  
Everything about her was restrained, her grieve, her tears, her eminent break down.

Klaus licked his lips, so what? So she was hurting, why would he feel torment of all things about this fact?  
He was Klaus. He didn't feel sorry for someone's loss and hurt, he didn't feel, as simple as that.

Sure he had a connection to his family, to Rebekah that was his most prized possession and he had loyalty towards all of them just like he demanded from them.  
Then there was Stefan, he had true friendship and camaraderie with him, he trusted Stefan probably the most but he couldn't name these things as actual feelings.

He was unable to hurt over them and their petty problems, he couldn't handle those; he had better and bigger things to worry about.  
So why was he incapable of turning around and leave? What was stopping him or what exactly pushed him to come over today, haven't he already spent the night keeping her company? There were too many surfacing questions to which Klaus had no answer to.

Caroline was standing there looking down on the place that held her only family. She was alone and she was coping with it, keeping it together.  
Klaus took in the fragile vampire, her hair waving in the air, the composed posture.

She looked up and he understood she knew all along he had been there.  
She looked straight at him, no hate or anger in her eyes, just these painful unshed tears glistening in her amazing eyes.

There was a tamed agonizing pain trapped inside her and there was a strange thing happening inside his chest.  
It became tight and too small to contain his steady calm breathing, he wanted to go to her.

Pull her into his arms again and keep her there, he didn't want her to be alone.  
She shouldn't be alone.

Caroline wasn't asking him anything as she stood there across the cemetery staring at him, she didn't speak, she didn't plea or beg for his comfort, she just looked at him.  
There were no tears or cries of a better and fairer God; she just looked at him vulnerable.

When she turned around quietly and left he took a step forward wanting to flash over her but he stopped, his chest was aching.  
His entire rib cage burned and he took a desperate inhale for air, he touched his chest stunned because it was hard to breathe, he collected himself as he heard steps behind him.

"I should have figured you were here" Stefan quietly said and stopped in front of him, he looked at where Caroline had stood.  
"How was she?" he asked without looking at Klaus.

"I wouldn't know" he quickly answered.  
Stefan frowned cos it wasn't typical of Klaus to rush his witty answers; he looked at Klaus trying to read him.

Klaus shook his head asking what he wanted, Stefan smiled.  
"She just lost and buried her mother, it's normal to feel sympathetic"

Klaus pulled an annoyed face.  
"No matter what, you still would have to feel some sort of empathy over her painful loss" Stefan said trying to make Klaus see that it was ok to feel like he felt.

Only that Stefan had no idea what and if he felt at all.  
"I killed my mother why would I feel anything about hers?" Klaus simply said.

Stefan rolled his eyes, Klaus was impossible to reason with when he didn't want to.  
He realised there wasn't anything else he could do so he went straight to his reason to come here in the first place "Jules is dead"  
Klaus looked at him serious "Finn's body?"

"Still untouched and where we left him but she went into the woods last night and didn't come back. Her body was left in my doorstep this morning, her throat ripped apart"

"Someone's sending me a message? How lovely of them" Klaus pulled a smile.  
Stefan looked at him sideways "What are you going to do Klaus?"

Klaus smiled that dark huge smile of his and left, Stefan looked after him sighing.  
Klaus was about to take care of business like only he knew how.

* * *

"Here..." Kol said and handed the two girls beers.  
Rebekah smiled at her brother but took her beer and went to talk to Matt.

"So... are we going to make out today? I wanted to give you some hints on what I like so that it looks real" he teased Bonnie.  
She gave him a look "I just came from a funeral Kol"

"After the first they all look the same"  
Bonnie threw her head back upset "Stop making a joke about everything"

Kol moved and sat next to her on the stool "Ok, tell me about that Luka fella"  
"Smooth" she said and drank her beer.

"Did you guys go out for long?"  
"Not really... Just a few years, until he decided to leave and we lost contact and all"

"He seemed still into you" Kol said watching Bonnie.  
She flashed that amazing smile of hers "Are you going to help me get him back now?"

"Why not?" he shrugged.  
Bonnie shook her head smiling but gulped down at his coolness about this "Ok..."

"We can make him jealous if you want. Works every time"  
Bonnie narrowed "You want to keep pretending we are together?"

"To make this mate jealous and realise he still loves you deeply and decides to win you back" he said and shrugged drinking.  
Bonnie smiled "Ok... I'm game"

Kol returned her smile but his was a naughty one and Bonnie drank not really sure what she was stepping into.

* * *

Tyler looked at the last missing werewolf that closed the door to the office inside his house and smiled, with Jules gone; this was the perfect time to step in as the leader.  
The room was filled with his pack, a few that followed Jules and some that were on both sides for now, not sure who to follow yet.

"Why are we here?" Yana asked annoyed that she had been summoned. She was having the worst week ever.  
"Jules is dead" Tyler said.

The group looked at each other, some even stood up angry; Tyler made a hand gesture trying to cool everyone down.  
It wasn't an easy task but he tried to shout over the now huge murmur that started.

"Shut up" he shouted and a few cooled down, others just shook their heads and seemed ready to leave the room.  
"Who killed her?" Yana asked calmly.

Tyler and the others looked at her.  
"If you know that she's dead then you must know who killed her, maybe it was you" she said tilting her head eyeing him.

"Don't be stupid" he told her drily.  
She smiled in return "She was your most direct opponent"

"Stop accusing him" Another blonde girl told her.  
Yana looked at Veronica and smirked "Already standing up for your Alpha?"

Veronica looked at Tyler, everyone knew she was his most devoted wolf, she would follow him into battle and hell itself "Unlike you that swings both ways, some of us already made our choices"

Yana smiled a vile smile "Your choice of Alpha certainly has nothing to do with the fact that you have a crush on him"  
Veronica snarled at Jules ready to take her head off "I feel it inside me that he is my Alpha"

Yana laughed "Oh you feel it all right..." she placed her hand to her chin "I wonder if Caroline knows that you have been _feeling_ Tyler on that very desk while she was being crowned Miss Mystic Falls?"  
"That's enough" Tyler yelled as half the room started laughing.

Yana smiled and looked away from the fuming girl.  
"The reason I asked you all in here is serious" Tyler said upset and then looked at everyone inside the room.

"I'm taking the Alpha place" he said determined and sternly "I'm not letting some random wannabe take what's mine by right and tradition. My dad was the Alpha in this town, when he died Mason became the next, it's only natural that I follow them" he finished smugly smiling but unlike what he expected most of the room burst into a loud commotion contesting him while only a few moved to stand with him.

He was angry and couldn't understand the heated reaction.

"Uh it seems that a few aren't quite buying into the family tradition excuse"

Tyler clenched his mouth and hands as Klaus walked inside the office smiling.  
Slowly everyone shushed and became quiet, watching him intrigued.

Klaus stopped in the middle of the room, his hands behind his back watching the kids surrounding him "It could just be me but..." he looked at Tyler smiling "They don't really see the calling in you"  
"Stay out of this Klaus" he hissed at him mad.

Klaus smiled wickedly "You are not an Alpha Tyler"  
Veronica took a step "He is my Alpha and a lot of us will follow him into death and not anyone else"

"Is that so?" Klaus smiled darkly and in a twisted way.  
"Yes" the girl answered determinedly.

Klaus moved around the room slowly "Well that's most unfortunate because I could use all of you..." he felt all eyes on him, he smiled knowing he had everyone's attention, he saw an antique silver knife ironically there as decoration and reached out for it and turned.  
He handed the knife to the closest kid next to him "I'm your Alpha and I'm calling upon the Sire bond"

Tyler gasped "You can't do that"  
Klaus raised his eyes to Tyler eerily and smiling, taunting him terribly "I just did"

The kid cut his palm using the knife and let a few blood drops on the floor "Till death my Alpha"  
"Thank you" Klaus answered in a cavalier fashion and moved his hand to the crowd watching them in awe. "Anyone else?" he asked.

One by one, everyone felt the undeniable urge to sire themselves to Klaus; they took the knife and bled before him, offering blind loyalty to him.  
Tyler balled his hands into raging fists, he glanced over furious when Yana moved.

She took the knife from someone else and came closer to Klaus, he smiled at the girl "I've heard about you my dear"  
Yana blushed smiling awkwardly "You have my Alpha?"

Klaus cupped her chin smiling "You make your own rules and forge your own lineage, answering to who may suit you better. You are smart Yana and I could use someone like you, willing to bend the rules when needed"

Yana's eyes sparkled "Anything you ask of me Alpha"

"You'll be my second in command" he spoke softly, alluring and she felt his eyes pierce through her, she gulped down as he cupped her cheek and came closer, she felt her heart race, her blood rush to the skin under his strong warm grip "But if you ever betray me..." his voice was almost a whisper "I will tear your flesh from your bones slowly and then after you have begged for your death a thousand times I will finally kill you"

Yana seriously looked into his deep blue eyes "You have my loyalty, till death" she said and closed her hand around the blade tightly, blood dripping to the floor between them.

She held her hand wrapped around it without flinching and he was impressed, he had chosen well.  
She walked to Veronica and handed the girl the knife, she looked at Tyler; only the two of them remained angrily watching the scene now refusing to bid servitude to the new Alpha.

It took Veronica everything she got to shake her head denying the growing appeal to Klaus inside her.  
Yana looked at her First in command and he closed his eyes gently nodding.

She quickly moved and slid Veronica's throat, the girl choked on her blood and staggered to the floor, no one moved an inch to help her.

Yana looked at Tyler.  
"I'm going to fight a lot harder than she did" he said moving ready to fight Yana.

Yana gripped the knife harder around her own bleeding hand.  
"Wait" Klaus slowly said.

Yana and Tyler looked at him.  
Klaus walked to them "If you want to be an outcast, by all means..." he said and pointed to the door with his hand in the air.

Tyler gulped down and looked to the floor.  
"I won't stop you" Klaus simply said and smiled.

Tyler looked around the room and started walking, he felt eyes fulminate him, heard snarls of repulsion as he made his way through the tight pack, they were one now, under Klaus orders and he was alone.

Without a pack he would be lost and alone, it was a wolf's worst nightmare and he was living it walking out of his own house and his kind.

* * *

Caroline closed her front door and rested against it, her house was so quiet.  
She sighed, not that her mother used to be around much but it somehow felt quieter than usual, it felt dead quiet. She sighed deeply again.

She felt cold, she stroked her arms and went for the one thing that could sooth her now, she grabbed her scruffy old cheerleader jacket.  
She had a shiny new one since she joined the team with Rebekah recently but she only found comfort on her old one.

Caroline sat on the couch, placed her bare feet on it and wrapped herself, buried her hands inside the long sleeves, it had been a mean joke at the time and they had given her a jacket a size bigger but she had kept it nonetheless, now it brought comfort to her as she remembered her human bright days, when her mother was still alive.

She sniffled and looked inside her pocket for a handkerchief; Caroline frowned when she felt something hard inside the jacket.  
She pulled it out gasping as she recognized her mother's handwriting in the envelope.

Caroline ran her thumb over the letters and read her own name in that neat way her mother wrote.  
She opened the envelope slowly; she unfolded the letter chewing on her lip preventing tears.  
_  
**Dear Caroline, **_

_**My beautiful and bright daughter:**  
**I have been an awful, terrible mother to you and I know that in my heart, as I write these last words to you.** _

Caroline stopped reading and fought a wave of tears; she looked at the wall in front of her not sure if she could take it, if she was strong enough to read the rest of it.  
She took a deep breath and continued.

**_I buried myself in work and ignored the way you grew up beautifully but a bit lost. I blame myself for not being there when you needed me, all these times a daughter needs her mother._**

**_I have been absent and even cold when you have reached out for me and my warmth as a mother and for that I ask for your forgiveness._**  
**_But there is something else, bigger for what I must beg for your forgiveness, even now, as you read this and I am dead I need your forgiveness._**

**_For hiding something I wanted to tell you so many times but was forbidden by the council. I couldn't tell you when you were a simple teenager and living a normal human life but destiny always has a way and it manoeuvres around it swiftly._**

**_You can't fight it and I should have known, that you becoming a vampire was a sign that it was time to come clean with you, I'm sorry I didn't back then, that I was weak and that it took my death to finally tell you the truth._**

Caroline squint having no idea what to expect next.  
How could she ever?

**_I am not your birth mother Caroline._**

Caroline read the line over and over, a thousand times until they made any kind of sense to her, then she finished the letter.

**_You, Elena and Tyler were handed to us when you were just newborns, we were supposed to take care of you and keep you all hidden from the outside world. No one could know about your existence and we kept you three in here, in secret. Brought up as simple humans.  
_**

**_You are part of a very old prophecy Caroline and I was never meant to tell you any of this but I love you. My tears are a sign of how much I tried to tell myself you were not my true daughter and that you couldn't love me as much as you would have loved your own mother._**

**_I'm sorry that I never showed you how much I loved you my sweet Caroline but I do._**  
**_I am proud of the woman you turned out to be and I hope you find in you your heart the will to forgive me one day._**

**_In a last feeble attempt to redeem myself I leave you a code to a safety box that I have in Chicago._**  
**_In there you will find everything I have gathered over the years about the prophecy and your birth parents, answers to some of the many burning questions you must have now._**

**_You must remember what I used to call you when you were just a baby..._**

_**Goodbye Caroline,  
I love you and I am sorry for being a coward even in my dying moment and not telling you all of this in person. I never meant to hurt you sweety, I just wanted you to be normal and to be happy, I know now how wrong I was and how miserable you have been all your life unaware of your true self.**  
_

**_Please be careful and tell no one about this, trust no one Caroline and keep your findings to yourself. I beg you as the mother that I somehow was to you that you take care of yourself and chose wisely what to do with what you might find. I trust you to make the right decision.  
_**  
_**With all my love**  
**Liz**._

Caroline clutched the letter in her hand, breathing hard and feeling tears stream down her face, her entire life had been a lie?  
How much more could she take?

Caroline read the letter twice and it only brought more questions than answers and only left her more restless and confused.  
She stood up looking around about to lose the rest of her sanity.

Again she looked at the letter and shook her head, this was too much.  
Caroline went to her mother's room and started searching every drawer, every place she could think of that her mother could have placed this code she wrote about.

She went through every paper, every piece of clothes, checking every pocket, the bags, even inside shoes and every box she could find.  
Caroline sat tired and desperate on the floor, she wanted to break down and cry hard this time, sob because nothing in her life made sense any more.

Her eyes slowly looked around the huge mess she made and she rested her head feeling dizzy on the bed, her eyes landed on the picture Liz kept on her night stand.

Slowly Caroline reached out to it and felt her mouth dry in panic, Liz might be telling her the truth; she took the frame with a picture of Caroline as a baby wearing a cute bear outfit.

"Carebear..." Caroline remembered what Liz used to call her when she was little.  
She smashed the frame and took the picture checking the back.  
_  
**Chicago National Bank, Box: 320 safety code: C218**  
_  
There had been a growing hope inside Caroline that Liz was just delirious from death and had written these crazy ramblings when Caroline had been outside with Klaus but now there was a chance all this might actually be true.

Someone knocked on her door and she startled scared, it took her a minute to react and leave the room fast before anyone found her mother's bedroom trashed like this.  
She rushed to the front door and found him there.

Neither of them spoke, they just looked at each other; Caroline had so many things rushing through her mind she couldn't even think properly.  
"What do you want?" she asked him not even harshly, just tired.

Klaus licked his perfect lips, good question.  
"Caroline..."

"You know what? Don't" she cut him off.  
He looked down from her beautiful face.

"I don't want to hear how you didn't care enough to save my mother or even try harder to. I just don't" she told him without hesitation or anger, just determination.  
Klaus looked at her again but didn't talk, he saw how agitated she was and again his idiotic chest ached.

"I need to go..." she suddenly said and he realised how numbed she looked.  
"Caroline... where are you going?" he asked as she moved inside the house putting the first shoes she found on and looking frantically for her keys.

"Out... away..." she answered miles away from here, her entire mind was some place else while her body robotically searched for her car keys.

Klaus stepped inside and shook his head; she was a mess, wearing that scruffy jacket over her classic black dress, blue running sneakers and searching desperately for her keys that rested on the kitchen table.

She screamed frustrated "Where the hell did I put my keys?"  
Klaus sighed and grabbed them, she reached for them fast but he was faster, he closed his hand around them.

"Give me my keys" she said lethargically but slightly mad.  
"I'm not going to let you drive like this" Klaus simply said.

"I'm a vampire, it's ok" she answered and tried to take her keys back.  
"Where are you going?" he asked her seriously.

She clicked her teeth together "Chicago"  
"You want to drive all the way to Chicago in this condition? Why are you going to Chicago anyway?" his voice was filled with concern.

Caroline bit her lip mad that he was worried about her "None of your business"  
Klaus smiled, she looked just like a kid "I will not let you go alone"

Caroline pouted and he chuckled.

"If you don't want to tell me what we are going to do there, that's fine, but I'm going with you" he was determined.  
Caroline covered her face feeling dizzy and plain exhausted, she hadn't slept at all in the last two days nor eaten properly, not even blood.

But she had to do this, she had to find out about everything her mother had hidden from her and she couldn't wait any longer.  
It was crazy to take him on his offer but the truth was that she didn't want to go alone either and she was too worn-out to fight him.

She nodded and left with him, they went in his car but she didn't say a word for hours, she played with the sleeves of her jacket quietly instead.

Klaus kept his eyes on the road as he raced down on it, night came fast and she turned the radio up, fondled with the right station until she stopped in one that was nothing but loud noise and a lot of screaming, the heavy metal rock made Klaus sigh deeply and roll his eyes but she needed the upsetting music to keep her mind busy with something else than the madness she found herself in.

"Are you going to tell me why we are on our way to Chicago?" he asked her through the annoying incomprehensible screaming of some man.  
"No" she simply said and rubbed her right eye tiredly.

Klaus rested his head on his hand upset but kept his eyes on the road. It took him a while to realise Caroline had fallen asleep resting against her window.  
Klaus shook his head, oh bloody hell, why was he on the road with a kid on his way to the windy city without even knowing why he was going?

Why did he even go to her house?  
He sighed again and turned the radio off, enjoying the way she was softly breathing in her sleep, he slowed down his pace and the car seemed to just smoothly glide across the asphalt instead of flying like before.

He looked at Caroline and then back at the road again, why did he care so much for her, enough to make his cursed heart beat?

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

I shall believe - _Sheryl Crow_


	16. Chicago

**AN: I have added a little soundtrack to the chapters since I kept getting messages asking me if I write listening to music.  
Yes, I do write most chapters while listening to random music but sometimes one song will inspire an entire chapter with dialogues and everything and these songs are now featured on the end of each chapter. I have also added two songs that have been suggested by my beloved reviewers and will add more in case anyone wants to leave a suggestion to what song certain chapters reminds them off. Enjoy my lovelies and again, thanks for reading this story. :D **  
**Cheers Ad**

* * *

Tyler threw almost everything on top of the table to the floor mad, he was fuming and his anger untamed.

He rested his hands on the table and shook his head.  
"Out of your system?" she asked him lacing her long finger between a perfect curl.

He looked at her behind his shoulder and then down on the table again panting in anger "He sired them, Klaus has sired the entire pack of wolves in Mystic Falls, so no Katherine..." he turned around facing her "... it's far from being out of my system"  
"So he compelled a few teens to follow him" she simply shrugged not getting what all this fuss was about. "Big deal"

Tyler grabbed the bottle of scotch that had survived his rage attack and threw it against the wall behind Katherine, the bottle came near her face by inches but she didn't budge at all.

"He sired them, that's not compelling. That's making them all blindly follow him, they are going to die before letting anything happen to him, being sired means you are willingly giving your life if needed to protect your Alpha and anyone close to him. No questions asked"  
"So he has his own army now" she deduced calmly playing with that one curl.

"It has only been done once or twice that I know of. This is practically impossible to do" Tyler shook his head still mad.  
"He is Klaus, he can do anything he wants and he just took that place you so badly wanted. Killing Jules was a waste of my precious skills" she sighed.

Tyler gave her an angry look "I wasn't counting on his audacity. Besides he was supposed to have left town already wasn't he?"  
Katherine answered with a smile "I wasn't counting that he would actually stay because of her"

Tyler seemed to ignite in fire, his entire body shook with anger "I did everything you asked me Katherine, I even turned my back on her and I'm beginning to think that maybe that was your plan somehow"

"No Tyler..." Katherine came closer to him slowly "My plan was that you would do a better job at keeping her under control. Breaking her down only enough for her to loath herself and be just one big pathetic futile excuse of a teenager"

Tyler clenched his jaw and looked away from her.

Katherine placed her smooth fingers on his chin making him look at her "You weren't supposed to hurt her so much that she turned into that perfect mix of vulnerable and strong woman that she did, exactly what Klaus is most attracted to. The Plan Tyler was to make her someone he wouldn't hesitate in killing not someone he has saved and protected ever since he stepped foot into this town"

Tyler hated her, he hated Katherine so much for everything she had made him do and for everything he had given up because of the damn prophecy.

Katherine smiled seductively and pursed her lips perfectly "You can stay as upset at me as you want Tyler but we are together in this, we want the same thing and you better see that the plan goes smoothly from now on"  
"I already lost Caroline, she will never forgive me for everything I told her and did to her" he said with regret.

"She was never meant to be yours but she can't be with Klaus or everything we've worked so hard for will be ruined"  
Tyler nodded and she stroked his chin gently "Good boy..." she said and smiled.

He moved his chin away from her touch and walked out of the dodgy motel she was staying in, he needed to catch some air.  
"Did he pest you out from the pack as well?" she asked after him.

Tyler stopped half way out the door "Yes. I'm all alone now, neither of them see me as wolf any more, I'm just an outcast now and they won't hesitate in killing me if needed because their Alpha doesn't see me as one of them"

Katherine turned on her high heels thinking, it was time for plan B cos plan A might not make it out alive.

* * *

Caroline sighed waking up, she moaned and touched her neck, it was a bit soar from her intense sleep against the car widow, she focused and realised they weren't moving.

She turned her head and found Klaus seat empty and the door open, slowly she opened her own door and stepped outside.  
She saw Klaus sitting on top of some table, his back on her; they had stopped in a gas station, she fixed her hair carelessly and walked over to him.

She stuffed her hands inside her huge jacket pockets and stopped by him without glancing his way.  
"I got you breakfast" he simply said.

Caroline looked at him and he moved his head next to him.  
She frowned, a huge cup of Starbucks rested on the table; Caroline slowly took it and grimaced as she smelled the blood.

"Did you kill someone?" she asked petrified with the possible origin of the fresh blood.  
"It wouldn't make a difference, so just drink" he drily told her.

She placed the blood back on the table "No thanks. I'm not hungry"  
Klaus looked at her and there it was, the coldness and indifference she had seen inside the tomb and every memory rushed to her mind, she took a deep breath slowly, she had to keep it together.

"We should move then, we still have a long way ahead of us" he said and stood up from the table, he left the cup behind and Caroline took it, she dropped it inside the nearest can hoping he would be watching her small rebel action and defiance to him but Klaus wasn't looking, he was starting the car already and she had to rush so he wouldn't leave her stranded.

She looked at him but Klaus didn't look or spoke to her, she didn't bother turning the radio up, she just looked outside her window watching the road and small towns rush before her eyes as he drove without stopping or acknowledging her at all. She felt strange about it and felt the urge to ask why he was so cold to her today but she restrained every time.

She played with her worn out sleeves instead and thought about her mother.

* * *

"Why are we keeping the pirate in here?" Damon asked his brother as they carried the coffin inside their underground cellar.  
Stefan looked at his brother "Stop calling him that"

"He looks like a pirate and Sage looked like a pirate... he's a pirate" Damon finished with a happy smile.  
Stefan sighed "He's safer here and with the pack watching the chapel, whoever might come for him will still believe he is there instead of here"

"I don't feel that safe sleeping in a house where a really old original is resting peacefully but about to wake up and go all Halloween Jason on us"  
Stefan chuckled "Afraid of a pirate Damon?"

His brother pulled the side of his face "It's not fear per say... more like annoyance that he will be that close to us"  
"Speaking of close..." Stefan said folding his arms smiling at his older brother.

Damon's smile faded and he sighed "I know what you are going to ask and the answer is I don't care"  
"You don't care that she is here, stunning as ever and about to have a human boyfriend?"

"She moved on, good, finally. I was annoyed with her fixation over me" Damon said shaking his head.  
"She wasn't the one moping for years and travelling around trying to forget Damon, if I recall correctly you even used to tell women you were taken" Stefan teased his brother.

"Well I grew out of that one, thank God" Damon said and pulled a face of his own "Unlike you and your undying infatuation with Klaus"  
Stefan laughed "Oh Damon, you need to stop being so jealous of me and Klaus"

"Well your _boyfriend _seems to have vanished, left town without telling anyone" Damon said sitting on top of the coffin casually.  
Stefan shook his head "I talked to him this morning, he's the new Alpha and he went with Caroline to Chicago for an errant"

"Uh he's cheating on you?" Damon asked pulling his face into a smile.  
Stefan rolled his eyes "He's my best friend, you should get one yourself and see what's that all about"

Damon pouted "But all the good ones are taken"  
Stefan shook his head and left Damon behind.

Damon smiled and tapped the coffin "Everything ok in there Jack Sparrow?"

* * *

"_Sweety oh sweety are you ok?" Liz asked as soon as Caroline opened her eyes.  
Caroline smiled and nodded "Yes mum... it was just a little bump in the head" She said and smiled warmly at her mother, she could see the tears glistening still in her mother and it strangely made her feel happy._

_Liz smiled and just stroked her face in a motherly way "I was so worried... and it wasn't just a bump ok? It was a concussion" she said sternly._  
_Caroline giggled "Ok mum... hey I was Miss Mystic Falls" she said excitedly._

_Liz laughed "Hunnie you shouldn't get too excited... I know you were, I asked Carol to call me as soon as they decided"_  
_Caroline smiled and moved to hug her mother feeling loved and happy like she barely ever felt._

Caroline swallowed a stubborn tear and cleaned her face, this had been her last memory as a human, before someone killed her in her sleep; she hadn't even seen her murderer, she just woke up feeling strange and craving for blood.

It had been her most precious memory till yesterday when she found out the truth; now even this had been stolen away from her.  
She pushed the button on her right and opened her window entirely, letting the cold wind hit her face, it was better than feeling the urge to sob helplessly.

She focused on the green landscape rushing through and missed the split second that Klaus gave in and looked at her.

* * *

Kol smiled as he saw the girls coming from Cheerleader practice, he looked all cool with his shades and smiled at some of them that waved at him giggling.

He saw Yana and she intentionally walked over to him "Hey Kol"  
"Well hello Yana, how are you darling?"

Yana smiled and perkily placed her hands behind her back "I'm very good, loving the new job your brother gave me"  
"He made you his Second in command, right? That's all everyone talked about in school today"

Yana tilted her head "It's going to be fun making people do what I want"  
Kol chuckled "Just don't let my brother know you are using them to wash your car or something"

Yana laughed and walked away "I'll swing by the Grill later, bye"  
Kol watched her wave at him and smirked at Bonnie that come up to him with Rebekah and Elena.

"Do we have an open relationship?" He asked her.  
Bonnie rolled her eyes "And if we were actually dating, this is the moment I'd leave you"

Kol laughed and looked at his sister and Elena that looked too lost.  
"Bonnie and I are dating" he said seriously.

Bonnie huffed and looked at her friends "It's complicated but Luka is back in town"  
Elena still looked lost but knew what she was talking about.

"My former boyfriend" She explained Rebekah "So Kol is helping me look like I haven't been crying and eating ice-cream and singing Celine Dion since he left"

"Aren't you the perfect friend" Rebekah teased him.  
Kol knew she was on to him so he just smiled and excused himself saying he was set to go with Matt have some beers and stuff.

Rebekah watched him leave smiling hugely cos she knew him too well.  
"Her cell is still disconnected and I'm getting worried" Elena said putting her cell away.

"Caroline?" Rebekah asked.  
"Yes, I'll go by her house and check on her" Elena said and smiled at the two remaining girls leaving.

"She's probably just sitting in her living room wearing her scruffy captain jacket and eating cookies" Bonnie told Rebekah sadly.  
"She needs time Bonnie..."

The girls walked outside the school, talking about Caroline and how she would need their help when a car slowed down by them.  
Rebekah clenched her jaw and kept walking, Damon smiled.

"Do you girls need a ride?" he asked them smiling.  
Bonnie looked at the man strangely understanding he was a vampire, no normal human looked this good.

"No thank you Damon" Rebekah said without stopping.  
Oh Damon, Bonnie remembered Elena's little meeting with him.

"Come on Bex... I can drive you wherever you want"  
Rebekah stopped and looked at him "How about hell?"

Damon smiled "Would you go with me?"  
She took a deep painful breath "No, you can go alone. Go to hell Damon and stay there this time" she said and rushed away.

Bonnie watched the two of them and then ran after Rebekah, which was a hard task to fulfil, Damon passed them racing down the road.  
"Ok... what's with the two of you?" she asked Rebekah catching up on her breath.

Rebekah kept walking without answering her.

* * *

Elena tried Caroline's cell again and shook her head mad that she still had it disconnected.  
She dropped her cell on her lap and focused on the road again, she startled as she saw someone standing there right in front of the car, she hit her brakes hard and the car finally came to a stop inches away from the static person.

"Are you insane?" she yelled mad coming out of the car.  
"Yes" the woman said smiling.

Elena froze; she was looking at herself, the sheer image of herself.  
"I see the little engine turning inside your head but I will introduce myself anyway, I'm Katherine"

Elena gulped down and squint "But... I thought your name was Katerina..."  
Katherine shrugged "I was bored with that one after a few years"

Elena reached for her cell inside her coat but remembered she had left it in the car; probably it was lying on the floor as she came out.  
"What do you want?" she asked looking around the usual deserted road.

"A talk... send a message..." she said smiling and flashed over to Elena.  
Elena screamed as she was shoved against her car "To whom?"

Katherine smiled and flashed her beautiful fangs, her eyes turning red with wickedness and then she licked her fangs, turning around seductively "To him"

Elijah walked out of the woods and stepped into the tarmac "Katerina Petrova" he said with a hint of a smile.  
"My sweet Elijah" She said taunting him but keeping her hand on Elena's throat.

Elijah stoically approached her "Maybe it's time you let Elena go"  
Katherine played with her lips "Maybe I'll just kill her"

Elena watched Elijah and he seemed slightly unaffected which left her apprehensive.  
But Katherine slowly released her throat and Elena moved a little away from her "I thought you were dead..." she said glancing over to Elijah.

Katherine laughed "Oh he hasn't told you about me"  
Elijah remained as cool as he always looked.

"I was his" Katherine said and walked over to Elijah, she touched his chest with a finger and then bit that same finger amused, she looked at Elena. "He was my keeper, my bodyguard, nothing was supposed to happen to the doppelganger whose blood can kill Papa Original"

Elena squint and looked dismayed at Elijah that slightly pressed his lips.  
"But he fell in love and Klaus wasn't happy about it. He was keen on letting me be sacrificed and Elijah wasn't ready to let me die. It became a huge issue" Katherine said and rolled her eyes bored.

"What happened then?" Elena asked avoiding Elijah's eyes.  
"I became a vampire and tainted my blood" Katherine said and looked at Elijah "Wait... did you tell her that I was dead?"

"Technically you are, at least to me Katerina" Elijah said smiling.  
Katherine lost her smile for the first time, because he was right or because the way he said her name still messed with her.

"And then there was you" she resumed to her evil ways and looked at Elena.  
The human saw the hatred in her eyes and understood she was about to do something about her small existence.

Katherine flashed and pinned Elena again against the car but Elijah was on her immediately and it was Katherine's time to be shoved harshly against the SUV.

Katherine looked into the scary calmness on Elijah, the tamed kept anger in his eyes and gulped down.  
She opened her arms in a sign of resignation and Elijah backed down.

She looked at Elena smiling "Seems you have your own personal Original watcher now"  
Elena placed her hair behind her ear and licked her lips nervously.

Katherine leisurely looked at Elijah and then left the two of them looking at each other on the road.

* * *

"We'll be in Chicago in two hours" Klaus said quietly into the heavy silence inside the car.  
Caroline looked at him, so he was alive and not a robot and actually spoke.

"I need to go here" she said and handed him a paper.  
He frowned looking down on the back of a picture that had wrinkles and looked old but he noticed it was just from being, folded and unfolded numerous times.

He handed her the picture back and was silent again for the next two hours, Caroline huffed some hair away from her face, fun company.

* * *

"So what's the deal with your sister and Damon?" Bonnie pinned Kol between the pool table and her.  
Kol smiled and sat on the edge of the table behind him, he looked at Matt "Can you give us a minute mate? My darling girlfriend needs me"

"Sure..." Matt said and gave Bonnie a look.  
She ignored him and folded her arms demanding at him.

Kol tilted his head amused "Nik met Stefan in a time when they were both just... exploring the blood lust and that entire shenanigans. Nik wasn't much of a drinker, he enjoyed the chase a lot more; the game behind it and Stefan was all the other way around, twisted and dark and loved to rip heads. So the ripper met my brother and they became besties, then he brought his brother to the house and Rebekah met him, they shared a look and became a thing. A disgusting, loud, annoying thing but a thing. And then he left"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, men sucked at details especially when it came to romantic juicy ones; she would have to go directly to the source.  
She turned to leave but he grabbed her waist.

"Wow personal space and boundaries" she said when he pulled her closer.  
"Yes darling, I will love to take you out to dinner tonight" he said loudly and smiled.

Bonnie sighed and looked at the incoming boy.  
She smiled at Luka that simply nodded and smiled walking past them without stopping.

She looked down on the floor and was sad because she couldn't decide if she wanted to still be friends with him.  
She felt Kol's hand on her back now, his thumb gently stroking her lower back and she found it so soothing that she looked at him smiling warmly.

Kol unexpectedly returned her warmth and she didn't see the usual mockery there or the naughtiness.  
Matt came up to them and stopped watching the strange scene, he looked at Rebekah and they started smiling.

"He's gone now" Rebekah said with a stance, her arms crossed over her chest and a huge upcoming smile.  
Kol and Bonnie snapped out of their little moment, they parted ways at once.

"We were just making sure" Bonnie said pulling a face and grabbing Matt's beer gulping down half of it.  
"Exactly, I heard him by the door and was just making sure" Kol said and moved to make his play on the table.

Rebekah clasped her lips, right.

* * *

Klaus parked his car in front of the Chicago National Bank and they both stepped outside, Caroline hesitated, now that she was here, it all felt surreal somehow and she had no idea how to go through with this. It didn't help that Klaus had been on douche mood all day and that he was closed up and cold as ice towards her.

She clasped the paper in her hand and stood there half way on the side-walk.  
A few people bumped into her and she apologized, turning and bumping into a few more.

It all became overwhelming, the people, the unbearable noise, the huge commotion of a big city, cars, people who seemed to pierce through her with their eyes, the reason why she was here, it all made her dizzy and she grabbed her head feeling as if she was spinning around and then everything went black as she collapsed.

Klaus caught her in his arms before she even began to drop and sighed deeply.  
All his best intends on keeping his distance was gone out the window the second he felt her start to freak out.

He picked her up and removed them away from the curious looks people gave them, he carried Caroline back into the car and drove away.  
He checked in the nearest hotel and managed to carry her inside saying she was just tired from the ride, it was hard to resist Klaus and his I promise I'm not a serial killer smile.

He placed Caroline on the rather large bed and lingered his eyes on her face.  
Caroline was breathtaking, every curve in her face was exquisite and he found himself wanting to trail his fingers through her soft lines again, like he did the night he saved her.

He touched her forehead, came down her nose, he smiled because she had an adorable nose, he trailed every single line making sure his memory would keep these perfect features to draw on paper, somehow he felt he hadn't done her justice in the past. His fingers touched her perfect soft hair, her bubbly blonde hair and he played with the soft curls and smiled.

He pulled himself away from her and left the room.

* * *

When Caroline woke up she still felt sick and dizzy, she moaned loudly and saw a blur, she realised Klaus was sitting next to the bed in a chair attentively watching her.  
"Where am I?" she managed to ask.

"Hotel room" he said but she didn't pick up on all that iciness from before.  
Klaus had his head rested against his hand "You need to eat, you are weak"

Caroline slowly sat on the bed "I'm ok..."  
"When was the last time you ate?" he asked her calmly.

She ran her palm over her face "Three days ago or so"  
Klaus sighed deeply upset and grabbed the blood bag resting on his left leg; he stood up and handed it to Caroline.

She looked up at him; huge tired black arrows bellow her eyes.  
"I got you some fresh clothes as well" he said and dropped the blood on the bed.

She took it slowly watching him leave the room.  
Caroline drank the entire blood bag in one take, she was starving.

She stripped from her clothes and stepped inside the shower, she closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the cold wall, she gasped as the hot water hit her sore tired bones, she lost track of the time she spent under the seamy stream, relaxing and enjoying the first bit of peace she had in days or was it years? She couldn't tell any longer.

Caroline wrapped the huge towel around her and the new underwear she found in the bathroom and came outside to the bedroom, she checked the clothes he got her and grimaced.  
He actually had good taste and seemed to know her size and all.

She sat next to the perfect jeans that would fit her perfectly and the pink top that would be like a glove on her and the amazing low heel ankle boots that would be comfortable and yet sexy and looked away to the window.

Sunset was setting in and she just sat there, not wanting to move, not wanting to do anything; not wanting to go know the truth.  
She would rather stay in ignorance.

* * *

"Caroline?"

She startled when she saw him by her side, she blinked because it was night already and she had sat there in the same place for God knows how long.  
He just looked at her and she couldn't understand what she saw this time, what side of Klaus she was allowed to see this time around.

"What are we doing in Chicago?" He asked her quietly.  
"Getting proof that my entire life was a joke" she said and kept her eyes locked with his.

"What do you mean?" he compressed his eyes truly not understanding.  
"She left me a letter saying that I was adopted, that someone gave me away for her to take care of and that the answers are kept in a safe box she had in here. I have the code to open it" she slowly told him but then clenched her teeth "But what do you care?"

Again the question was simple and the answer was even more "You right sweetheart, I don't" he said and turned away.  
Caroline grabbed her shiny new clothes mad and threw them at him, the top hitting his back "Take your stupid gifts with you, I don't want anything from you" she yelled at him.

Klaus pressed his lips in anger and started breathing hard and slowly faced her, she kept her game face on and clicked her teeth in that way she always did when she was upset.  
"Why did you bring me here? Why come all the way with me, to be an ass and not even talk to me, I just lost my mother" she threw mad at him.

"Apparently she's not your mother" he hissed at her equally mad.  
Caroline clasped her lips angry and flashed to him; he caught her by the arms as she tried to fight him somehow.

He moved and she was slammed against the wall, with him gripping her arms tightly, she gasped and looked at him licking her lips very slowly.  
His hot breath hit her face hard "I have killed so many for a lot less Caroline"

She was panting with his words and his intensity.

"You lied to me, when I asked you about the coffin you said you didn't know where it was and yet you knew, you compelled Elena but she told you where it was before you did it. You single-handed walked into a death trap with Sage having no clue what she was capable of and placed me in the position to choose between your life and your mother's" he spoke in that scary tone of his, ready to snap and kill her.

Caroline looked at him waiting for his next move but he let her go, he walked to a chair and kicked it hard he removed the leg and came closer to her, Caroline took in a sharp breath, this was it, he was going to kill her now.

"You want to be mad? Really come at me? Then do it properly sweetheart" he said and without expecting, took her hands, wrapping them around the improvised stake, he placed it right above his heart and she widen her eyes surprised.

He pressed her hands down on the stake and it came dangerously too close "Do it, have your revenge sweetheart, finish me off"  
Caroline clicked her teeth together and looked down.

"Do it Caroline" he pressed on louder this time.  
She clenched her teeth so hard they hurt "You can't be killed"

Klaus smiled that eerie dark smile of his "I have a werewolf heart, I'm half wolf, half vampire, your chances are fifty-fifty, so go on love, take a chance"  
She looked into his eyes feeling a tornado of emotions rip through her.

"Go on love" he said and moved closer to her, he place each hand on the wall behind her and she felt the stake pierce through his shirt, she gasped.  
"All you have to do is push Caroline, take revenge on the fact that I didn't care enough to save her. To do it for you" he spoke low and chilling.

She felt the stake pierce through fabric and saw the blood stain in his chest, he came closer and she felt it pierce through flesh, she removed her hands and the stake fell to the ground.

"I can't..." she said and closed her eyes.

Klaus punched the wall next to her head mad; she opened her eyes and looked at him.  
"I hate you Caroline" he said clenching his own teeth, words barely coming out.

Caroline slowly moved and took her hands to the sides of his face and he sharply inhaled with her touch.  
"No you don't..." she whispered.

Klaus licked his lips and pulled his face back, she reached out to him again "You don't hate me cos you cared enough to save _me_"  
Klaus looked into her eyes.

She moved and came closer to him "I know that you don't care for anything or anyone but all the times you have saved me I saw that you care, that I get to see a Klaus that you don't show to anyone. The cold, distanced, unfeeling Klaus that was inside that car today ignoring me on purpose, shutting me down is not the Klaus I see when you do let me in"

He tried to move away from her but she held on to his tight shirt, Klaus stopped and looked at her.  
"I hate you Caroline because you make me feel" he said slowly and looked down from her piercing clear eyes.

"Then I hate you too" she whispered.

Klaus looked up at her and moved; he took her lips into his and kissed her deeply.  
She wrapped her hands around his neck and answered his kiss, his one hand cupped her cheek and the other pressed her back to him.

He tilted her head just that bit and poured everything she made him feel into the kiss; Caroline stroked his neck and matched his tongue in every request and unspoken word.

She found the wall behind her back but softly this time when he moved them backwards, his sinful lips found her neck and she gasped leaning her head against the wall and moving her hand from his neck up to his hair, pulling at it when she felt his strong big hands stroking her side through the towel.

She stroked his cheek and smiled when he searched her lips again, she could kiss these for hours because she found them irresistible and soft, amazing and she wanted more.

Klaus groaned into her mouth when she out of nowhere licked his bottom lip, loving the feeling of it.  
They breathed hard into each other's mouths not really sure of which line to cross just yet.

Klaus cell started buzzing and it just wouldn't go off, he reached out for it mad.  
"Yes?" he grunted angrily into it. He sighed and rolled his eyes, he looked at Caroline's devil red lips and then into her eyes.

She smiled at him.  
Klaus shook his head "All right, calm down Rebekah, she's with me"

Caroline touched her lips, they tasted like him, they tasted like Klaus and she smiled not taking her eyes from him, his strong features, his beautiful eyes, his button nose that she found cute, his full sinful lips and this stubble that she felt shivers just by looking up closely at it let alone feeling it scratch her skin.

She heard him talk to Rebekah and slowly moved, she grabbed the clothes he had given her and changed, she smiled and bit her lip with her back on him because she was wearing the new underwear he had left for her in the bathroom, the really expensive stuff, she heard him falter and stammer on the phone with his sister.

Well it was his gift; it was only fair she would let him see her in it.

Klaus turned around and focused on the wall, bloody hell, Caroline was just plain playing him now and he was unable to even be mad at her.  
He finished the call and she was there ready to go out, looking stunning, her hair fixed into a loose braid and the most amazing gorgeous smile he had ever seen.

"You are taking me out for dinner cos I'm starving"  
Klaus smiled and showed his dimples "Dinner it is sweetheart"

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Falling slowly - _Glen Hansard_


	17. The Prophecy

"Thank you Matt" Bonnie smiled at her friend and took the coffee mug back to her table, she smiled at Jenna and Alaric that were sitting at another table and slowed down as Luka came her way.

"Hey..." she said and smiled holding the mug awkwardly.  
"Hi" he answered and they both looked at each other not sure what to do next.

"Luka I..." she started but couldn't finish, she didn't know what to tell him.  
"I know that you have someone else and you seem happy and all but I'd like to at least be your friend Bonnie" Luka said honestly.

She smiled and raised the mug in her hand "Would you have a cup of coffee with me?"  
Luka nodded smiling and they sat down a bit less awkwardly.

"So how was the new school?" she asked him playing with the mug in her hands.  
"It was ok... different at first but I made friends pretty quickly" he said realising how stunning she still was to him.

Bonnie smiled "You were always good at making friends"  
"I missed talking to you though, part of me hopped that you would have answered my messages"

Bonnie felt the soreness behind his words "I was hurt at you Luka. I still am..."  
"Bonnie I asked you to come with me, away from this damn town" he told her serious.

Bonnie looked down on the table "My Gran wasn't even cold in the ground Luka and you wanted me to walk out, on my friends and my life"  
"Everyone lost someone that summer, I lost my sister as well but I had a chance out of this place, a chance away from all this mess and I wanted you to come with me"

"Why did you come back?" she bluntly asked him.  
Luka smiled, Bonnie was never one to go around the bush very long "My dad is selling our property and I wanted a second chance"

"At what?" Bonnie asked in a whisper clutching the mug in her hand.  
"I love you Bonnie, I never stopped loving you and I want you to come back with me. We can start over away from here; in a town where we can be normal"

Bonnie smiled and looked at him "I don't want to be normal Luka. I love being who I am and that I can make a difference, help my friends and keep this town safe when needed"  
Luka leaned back on his chair "This town doesn't give a damn about you Bonnie"

She shook her long hair and rose her chin high "And that is the huge difference between us, I don't run away when things get rough, my friends don't run away to another town cos they can't handle the pressure"

Luka looked down and then stood up leaving the Grill, she simply shook her head in disappointment, she would never be able to forgive him for leaving her when she needed him the most.

Kol drank his beer quietly on the counter, watching and listening to the talk in front of him.  
He gave Rebekah a look as his sister sat on a stool with a huge banter smile.

"How fake exactly is this thing between you and Bonnie?"  
Kol looked at her sideways and smiled his perfect smile "None of your business"

Rebekah laughed "Careful Kol, you should never push a girl back into her former lover's arms... With all that women expertise and you still haven't learned anything?" she asked appalled.  
Kol dropped his beer on the table and rested his head on his hand squinting "How's Damon?"

Rebekah's face hardened "I wouldn't know"  
"Isn't he trying to win you back? He has been in town for a couple of days now, I'm surprised he hasn't used his eye thing and his smooth talk to find his way back into your bed"

Rebekah smiled playing Kol's stinging game "He will not get to me this time"  
"I would certainly lose all my respect for you Bekah, if you gave into him this time around"

"Then maybe you can grant Matt the night off to keep me distracted" she plead him smiling sweetly at him.  
Kol shook his head "Can't you for once just choose someone who won't end up breaking your heart Bekah?"

She frowned at the sincerity in Kol, the concern there "Matt is a sweetheart" she said warmly.  
"He's human Bekah" Kol simply said.

Rebekah clasped her lips as he turned his back on her; that was the downside to everything.

* * *

"What are you saying? That you fancy sweet white fluffy little bunnies?" Klaus asked appalled.  
Caroline pulled a distraught face "Don't say it like that..."

Klaus held back a smile "But they are so adorable and little and you eat them"  
Caroline threw her head back "Urgh stop" she looked at him catching his smile "You are forever ruining my animal diet" she huffed.

Klaus laughed shaking his head, he rested his elbows on top of the table "I can't believe you survived so long on forest animals"  
Caroline stick her fork with will into the lettuce in her plate "Not all of us are into that entire torture and playing with food thingy" she said without looking at him.

Klaus smiled showing his dimples at her sheer courage to confront him like this "You shouldn't be so fast to assume things sweetheart"  
Caroline tilted her head and flashed her perfect smile "You shouldn't be best friends with someone who writes about every little detail"

"True but those were very different circumstances, to everything" he said entwining his fingers.

Caroline looked around the posh restaurant they were in, grateful that they were sitting alone in a very reserved area so they were able to talk about anything so at ease.  
"How different?" she asked him curious.

Klaus smiled "Now sweetheart, why you would want to know about that?"  
Caroline was serious and pushed the plate to the middle of the table, she rested her arms and looked at him "Because I don't get you Klaus, I don't understand what makes a man who chases women and kills them just to prove he can go out of his way to save me"

Klaus licked his lips smiling and pressed his finger to them "I'll let you in a little secret love, I don't know why I saved you"  
Caroline forgot how to blink for a little while, she had to yell at herself to do so and shook her head "There's something really wrong with the two of us"

Klaus pushed his plate to meet hers at the middle of the table and leaned over, his hand almost touching hers "And why is that love?"

"Because I just lost my mother, my life is about to change tomorrow morning and I'm indulging into a guilt ride by enjoying dinner with a mass murderer. It doesn't do wonders to my sanity and self-esteem that you keep kissing me like that either" she confessed looking into his eyes but not lingering there feeling the guilt taking over.

"Then I suppose you are right love, there must be something terribly wrong with us because it's not in my nature to care Caroline, I do not feel, I do not care. I never did and yet here I am wishing tomorrow wouldn't come"  
Caroline frowned "Why?"

Klaus smiled and took his arms from the table; the waitress came their way smiling "Dessert?" She asked with a sweet smile.  
Klaus gently took her hand, the girl looked at him and he widen his eyes "That would be lovely" he said with that dark smile.

"Don't you dare Klaus" Caroline hissed.  
Klaus looked at her pulling his eyes together "It's what we do sweetheart, you can cheat as much as you want but we are vampires" he said and sank his teeth slowly into the girls wrist.

Caroline stood up furious, the chair falling backwards as she rushed out of the restaurant, she rushed down the empty street, she fought tears, she was so tired of constantly being in tears lately. She stroked her arms, not that she was cold, just that she felt her body shutting down again; her resistance to everything that kept happening was being stripped away from her slowly and powerfully. She literally had no idea how much more she could endure.

"Caroline" he called her walking fast behind her trying to quickly catch up to her.  
She ignored him but he easily reached her and grabbed her arm gently.

"Leave me alone Klaus" she simply said, not even showing how mad she was at him now.  
Klaus let her arm go and she walked away from him, he took in a deep breath and looked up to the dark sky doubting why he was even considering fighting this, he bloody knew he couldn't any more.

She suddenly froze; her back to him and her sheer determination as well being stripped from her like always when it came to Klaus.

She faced him "Why do you always do everything to shock me, to push me away? To make me so angry that I can't even stand to be near you? Why? Why Klaus? Why do you keep hurting me?" she asked him mad, throwing her hands in the air.

Klaus clenched his teeth not answering her.

She saw the painful expression but she wouldn't budge this time "Answer me. I deserve an answer because you keep making everything to make me hate you and somehow I can't. I can't hate you no matter how much I'm mad at you, no matter how much you screw up or how mean you are to me I still can't hate you and it's killing me Klaus, it's driving me insane" She shouted, two fat salty tears came down her face and her voice became hoarse "I don't... know why you keep hurting me and then do something totally opposite and it's messing with my mind, I can't take this any more"

"Neither can I Caroline" he said without meeting her piercing demanding gaze.  
She shook her head, two other huge tears jolting out "Stop... stop playing games with me Klaus, I can't do this. I don't want to do this"

Klaus wanted to stay immune to her, this had always been so easy before but he couldn't lie to himself anymore, she was different and he realised he always knew this, from day one.

"Why do you keep fighting so hard to make me hate you?" she asked her tears mixing with her hoarse painful voice.  
Klaus slowly looked up from the ground and met her stare; she clicked her teeth as she saw that one tear in his eye.

"Because I know what's inside that box your mother left you" he said closing his eyes, that stubborn tear falling down.  
"I don't understand..." she said between her clenched teeth.

He faced her again "You are part of a prophecy as I am. A very old and powerful prophecy, which I never believed in until now. My father did, enough to destroy my entire family and Elijah believes in it as well"

Caroline felt her body shake with confusion and felt dizzy; she closed her eyes and ran her hand through her face.

Klaus carried on "My father moved to Mystic Falls because he heard about a legend of someone who would be immune to the moon and the sun but still have the power of both sides. Being a werewolf wasn't enough for him and he craved for more, he wouldn't rest until he got what he wanted, to be the first hybrid, so he gathered witches and shamans to do his dirty little work for him. The werewolf gene was supposed to go to the oldest of us, Finn but it skipped him and it skipped Elijah, so my father gambled all believing none of us had the gene in us. When he turned my mother into a vampire, she turned all of us without his knowledge because she didn't want us to be alone, vulnerable to the wrath of others when they figured out what my parents had done. She fed us with blood, killed us and waited for us to wake up to transition into vampires. My father found out and tried to stop it, by killing us before the transition was complete, he killed Henrik before I woke up by slicing his throat and he was going to kill Rebekah next…"

Klaus stopped to gather some much-needed air and Caroline was thankful because she felt as if she was about to disintegrate into the concrete any second now.  
She licked her lips and took a slow step closer to him not even knowing what she was doing; he glanced at her thinking the same.

"Did you try to stop him?" she asked but the words barely came out.  
Klaus looked at her fighting to get his own words out as well "When I came at him, my mother stepped in front of him to _protect him_" he spat the words out disgusted.

Caroline took another step and was within his comfort zone which would have made him itchy but instead it soothed him.  
"It triggered your curse because you had the werewolf gene in you..." she said remembering the night he had admitted to have killed his own mother to trigger his werewolf side.

"Yes. Elijah woke up after me and helped me carry Rebekah and Kol out of there; we did what we had to do to survive after that"  
"And Finn?" she asked slowly.

"Finn didn't like that I was the werewolf instead of him and parted ways with us there, he eventually sided with my father and found a way to keep him preserved, he spent centuries trying to find a cure to save Mikael and kill me and everyone else.. He met Sage soon after he was turned and used her as he pleased. She was in love with him so she did everything he asked of her, even come after us"  
Caroline nodded letting all this information become one with her reason.

"This is the part I had to believe because it actually happened but it was nothing more than witchcraft and black magic, supernatural curses that triggered our true selves. The rest I ignored not wanting to have anything to do with it" he said shaking his head trying to still fight this somehow but knowing it was impossible.

"Am I like Elena? Some sort of doppelganger?" Caroline asked feeling tears come to her again because she felt doomed.  
"No, you are something far worse to me" he said clenching his teeth.

Caroline saw the tears in his eyes and couldn't understand why he was hurting so much.  
"What am I?" she asked him through her tears.

"When the rest of the witches found out what my parents had done, they made sure I paid for their audacity and they cursed _me_. I was doomed to never love, to never care, to never feel. Anything Caroline, I wasn't able to feel anything for more than 1000 years"  
He said and his pain hit her so hard that Caroline gasped.

"I was cursed to never feel, never know love until I found the one woman who would make my werewolf heart beat..." he said and took Caroline's hand.  
He placed it over his chest and soothed her hand over his heart, Caroline took in a sharp loud breath as she felt his heart pound under her hand, she felt his heart beat and she tried to remove her hand but he kept her by force there.  
_  
"The hybrid will be forever alone until he finds her. She will make his heart beat for the first time for she will be the last one to hear it beat. This woman will be the one to kill him" _he repeated the curse that he had heard so many times but never allowing himself to believe in.

He released Caroline's hand and she backed away from him, looking away.

"I got used to not feel anything for anyone or anything. It got easier with the years to live knowing I had a sense of loyalty to my siblings. Stefan devoted his vampire life trying to bring out the humanity in me that was lost, trying to redeem himself from his own sins" he calmly explained.

"Earlier in the room..." she recalled and looked at him "... that was a test..."  
Klaus clenched his jaw silently.

She felt the damn tears but fought them harder than ever "You were testing me? To see if I would kill you?"  
"Caroline..."

She shook her head violently "I'm so tired of being used and caught in the middle of things I don't understand. I never asked for any of this" she yelled opening her arms.

"You think I did?" he screamed back at her "I never asked to be a hybrid, to be a vampire, to be forever cursed to live alone, to be the only one of my kind. There can never be another hybrid Caroline, nature won't allow it. It's too much of an unbalance"

"What about Elena and Tyler?" Caroline asked staring at the concrete.  
"Elena's first doppelganger's blood was used to turn us all, it's supposed to turn Mikael but her blood is the only thing that can kill him as well..."

"And Tyler?" she faced him.  
Klaus was serious and licked his lips "Tyler comes from the Original werewolves line, he can't be killed by anything supernatural and his bite is the only thing that can kill my siblings"

She grabbed the side of her head feeling too weighed down "Where is Mikael?"  
"Only Finn knows the answer to that one but he would never tell us so I just kept him locked away" Klaus spoke noticing how Caroline was about to break down hard.

"So you knew about all this when you came into town..."  
"I just didn't know much the bunch of you knew and it was all a mess which you kept walking into willingly and blindly" he spoke angrily.

"Are you going to kill me now?" she snapped away from her spiral meltdown and looked at him lost and weak.  
"No" he sighed appalled and moved; he placed his hand in the back of her head and pulled her to him.

Caroline rested her head against his chest feeling finally some sort of comfort and peace, because as crazy as all this sounded she couldn't deny the way he made her feel.

* * *

"Are you really going to send him away?" Elena asked Jenna with a sad face.  
Jenna poured them some morning coffee "I don't have much choice"

"There is always a choice and I don't want to lose anyone else"  
Alaric came inside the kitchen and dropped his bag taking the coffee Jenna handed him "Thanks Elena for doing this, with Caroline in a random road trip with Klaus we need someone to start organizing the school theme party this year"

Elena gave him a look.  
He looked at Jenna and her "I just bluntly interrupted a moment, right?"

"It's not even worth it anymore, you both already made your choice" Elena huffed and turned to leave the kitchen mad.  
Alaric looked at Jenna.

His girlfriend smiled at him and kissed his lips "I love you even when you are clueless"  
"Or despite of it?" He asked and kissed her longer.

Elena stepped inside the kitchen snapping at them "Are you going to make out all day?"  
"Someone woke up in a really good mood" Jenna said and kissed Alaric goodbye.

* * *

Alaric drove to school in silence because Elena stubbornly refused to talk; she slammed the door to his car and walked inside the school ahead of him without waiting.  
She found Bonnie and Matt there already but she was surprised to see Jeremy going through some boxes filled with random stuff.

"Hey Jer..." she smiled at him.  
Jeremy raised an eyebrow "What do you want? To give me a hard time because I'm skipping therapy today? Look, every time I'm in there forced to talk about mum and dad or Vicky, I just feel the urge to go smoke some more pot so give me a break ok?"

Elena smiled at her brother "Jeremy... will you ever be able to not be mad at me?"  
Jeremy picked the box up and moved to go stand with Matt "Some space would help Elena"

Elena sighed and rose her hand motioning to do something but quite honestly? What was the point any longer?  
She joined the girls and smiled weakly at them "So what's this I hear about Caroline and Klaus being in Chicago?"

"No idea why they went, he didn't tell me" Rebekah said shaking her head "I just know they are coming back as we speak"  
"Why would Care go there? With your brother just after her mother died?" Bonnie asked confused.

"I have no idea but I have a better question" Rebekah smiled "What's going on between you and my brother Kol?"  
Bonnie staggered for words "There's nothing going on, he was just helping me push Luka away but I don't think I will need that any more, he came to talk to me yesterday and guess what? He's still the same coward he was when his father made him leave town"

Rebekah looked at some bright things that she assumed was decoration. "How long have you been using these?"  
Elena laughed "Since the beginning of times"

"Urgh for Christ sake" Rebekah said and dropped the things into the box again, pushing it to the floor; she took her cell out from her pocket and went through her list for a number."I'm getting new stuff"  
"With what budget?" Bonnie asked confused.

"Nik's" she simply replied and started ordering a bunch of things while Elena laughed with Bonnie flabbergasted.

* * *

"I guess we won't be using this any more" Matt said pulling an old Disco ball from a bag, it was already missing a lot of its spark and it even looked kind of square instead of rounded.  
"What a true shame" Jeremy said and smiled.

Matt laughed and sat on the table embracing the strange old thing in his arms, he looked at Jeremy wanting to start conversation.  
"What?" Jeremy asked.

"I heard that you are going away for a few days" Matt said.  
"They are _sending _me away" he said and dusted his hands off.

"I guess they are just trying to help you" Matt said.  
Jeremy shook his head laughing "Help me? I don't need help, I need time to mourn Vicky"

Matt was serious and clasped his lips "Look man, I miss my sister as well, I really do. But life goes on, crappy or less crappy but it has to go on"  
"I just miss her Matt, I miss her laughter, the way she was such a mess but able to get me like no one ever did"

Matt squeezed Jeremy's shoulder "I know but she wouldn't want you to waste your life in drugs and hating your sister"  
Jeremy looked at Elena, she smiled at him and waved at him, he looked back at Matt "I just keep seeing Elena's face when she came to tell me about my parents"

"I had that for a long time with Caroline's mum, she was the one that gave me the news and I somehow blamed her but it wasn't her fault and it isn't Elena's fault either, she was trapped inside that car with them, Jenna managed to get her out, they barely made it Jeremy"  
Jeremy looked at his sister again and then at Matt "But they were after Elena"

Matt shook his head and moved away from the table "Man, I don't know what to tell you, just that one day you will wake up and life ran past you and you wasted it all hating the wrong people"  
Jeremy watched Matt walk away and left the gym wanting to be alone for now.

* * *

Caroline looked down on the envelope in her hands and then outside her window.  
"Are you going to open that?" Klaus asked her.

She smiled and looked at him "Curious much?"  
Klaus laughed "I just think it's all very anti-climax"

She raised an eyebrow "Well maybe you shouldn't have told me all about the stupid prophecy before I read the huge file my mother left me" she said pointing to the back seat where a black folder lay with all the extensive research she had gathered over the years.

Klaus rolled his eyes "Sorry for ruining the surprise but she also left you a letter sweetheart"  
Caroline looked down on her hands "The last time she left me a letter my entire world fell apart Klaus"

"You aren't alone Caroline" Klaus said soothingly.  
Caroline rested her head against the seat "Don't go making any promises you can't keep Klaus"

He smiled and she noticed these dimples "It's not in my nature sweetheart"  
Caroline looked at the envelope and took a deep breath "Can we stop for a little while?"

Klaus nodded and pulled his fast car to the side of the road, she slowly opened the envelope taking the letter from inside, unfolding it just that it wasn't a letter; it was an old birth certificate. She clicked her teeth together and opened her door fast.

Klaus opened his and came around the car to her, she looked at him for some sort of support, realising she was starting to depend on it a little more than she should.

"I know who my father is" she said and handed him the copy in her hand.  
Klaus took it and read it; he looked at her not knowing how she felt about this.

Caroline shook her hair picked up in a ponytail "My entire life has been a lie, a huge amount of lies and deception, all around me" she rested against his car.  
Klaus folded the paper in his hand and handed it to Caroline when she looked at him "But now you know all the truth"

"And it's time that I pick myself up and fight back, right?" she asked him determined.  
Klaus nodded smiling.

She shook her head taking the paper in his hand and stuffing it inside her jeans "Wipe that proud smirk off your face Klaus. And I'm driving, I need to blow some steam" she said and went around the car.

Klaus laughed and got inside the passenger's side, he turned the radio on and the annoying sound of a screaming man filled the car.  
She rolled her eyes and changed the station, the first chords of a song started and it made her smile recognizing one of her all time favourite songs, ironic that she would be listening to this right now with Klaus by her side.

"Perfect" she flashed her best smile and stepped on the pedal, making the car race under her hands.  
Klaus chuckled as Urge Overkill started singing.

**_Girl, you'll be a woman... soon_**

**_I love you so much, can't count all the ways_**  
**_I've died for you girl and all they can say is_**  
**_"He's not your kind"_**

"Oh Caroline... you are a tease" he shook his head.  
Caroline giggled and turned the music up singing along.

* * *

They reached Mystic Falls in the afternoon and she parked his car in the school parking lot knowing she would find him here.  
Both left the car feeling tired for everything that had went down in the last days but also feeling that it all had brought them closer.

"Your keys" she handed them back smiling.  
"Are you sure you don't want me to go in with you?" he asked her serious.

Caroline looked at the school "Some things I need to do alone Klaus" she looked back at him "But thank you..." she smiled and left.  
Klaus reached out for her hand and she looked at him.

"What happens now?" she asked him.  
"I don't know Caroline" he answered honestly.

She smiled and looked down from his eyes "I'll see you around Klaus" she said as he let her go.  
She took one step before he took hold of her arm again and pulled her to him, their lips finding each other knowingly.

She pressed herself to him, kissed him as he kissed her, like it was meant to be, like everything she had ever done in her life led her to this moment, to his lips, to his arms.  
Klaus lost himself in kissing Caroline, in feeling her close, in wanting her like he never wanted anything in his life before.

Klaus cupped her face and smiled at her breaking their kiss "I guess we wait until you kill me"  
Caroline clicked her teeth and grabbed his shirt in her fists, staring into his intense eyes, breathing hard, wanting him more than she could ever explain rationally.

"One way or the other" he said and pulled her even closer to him, kissing her again.  
Caroline still felt dizzy and shaken with all the information she got in Chicago and everything that had happened within the last week but happily kissed him back, tilting her head, granting him permission to intensify their kiss because nothing in the world compared or matched the feeling of being kissed by Klaus.

She rested her hand on his neck, caressed him there and touched his necklaces, slowly moving down as their tongues tasted each other sweetly. She stopped over his beating heart.

She gasped when she felt it beat under her hand and broke the kiss, breathing hard and closing her eyes.  
Klaus smiled and stroked her face, his thumb caressing her chin; she opened her eyes returning his with one of her amazing smiles.

"Is it strange to feel it beat?" she asked him in a whisper.  
Klaus nodded "Yes... Caroline, I didn't believe any of this for a very long time, convincing myself any of it was real but if anyone finds out about this, they will use it against me and you"

Caroline sighed and opened her hand resting it again there; she closed her eyes feeling the steady beating of it and smiled.  
She slowly looked at him "Well your secret is safe with me... Nik"

Caroline kissed his lips slowly before breaking away from him; he sighed as she smiled at him and walked away.  
He had no idea how to make this work but he was determined to try only that for now he needed to see Elijah and beat him up into a pulp for misleading him into all this.

* * *

Caroline took a deep breath and knocked on Alaric's old office, the history teacher told her to go in.

"Hey..." she smiled at him as she stepped inside the really old room that used to be a class room.  
"Hey you are back, is everything ok?" he asked standing up from his old desk.

She smiled nervously "I went to Chicago..."  
"I know, with Klaus, Rebekah filled us all in" he said and rested against his desk as she stood there playing with her hands.

"So... I found out that... my mum wasn't my mum" she said and looked at him.  
Alaric unfolded his hands and rested them on each side of the table "I suspected that she would have told you in her dying hour"

"She left me a letter and I found out about this..." she handed him the folded copy of her birth certificate.  
Alaric slowly took the paper and checked it out; he didn't have to read much into it, he knew what he was looking at.

"Is it true?" she asked him not even knowing how hopeful she should be about this.  
Alaric nodded "Yes, you are my daughter Caroline"

And her entire world shifted again.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Turn to stone - _ Ingrid Michaelson_

Girl you'll be a woman soon - _Urge Overkill_


	18. If I stay

Caroline smiled and awkwardly clasped her hands together "So how does this work? Do I have to call you dad now?"  
Alaric opened his mouth and then closed it; he smiled at her and moved pulling a chair "Maybe we can start with just talking..."

Caroline nodded and sat facing him, Alaric sat on the table; she looked at him feeling a million different things.  
"I have so many questions..." she said and looked at her lap.

"I know..." he said and pulled a chair sitting closely to her, shortening the space between them.  
"Who is my mother?" was her first question; she looked at him, her eyes sparkling.

Alaric smiled "A very beautiful and amazing woman who died giving birth to you" he gently said.  
"Oh uau the hits just keep on coming..." she said and grimaced already, she faced him again. "So... you gave me away because I reminded you of the pain of losing her or some really dramatic thing like that?"

Alaric was serious and reached his hand to her but he pulled back at the last-minute "I was married to her for 6 years and we were as happy as I never thought I would be in my life during that time. When she got pregnant everything felt too good to be real and I actually thought there for a minute we could have it all" his smile was sad, filled with pain "When she went into labour, everything happened so fast, one minute she was being rushed into the hospital and the next I was being told in the waiting room that she had a severe bleeding and that she didn't make it..."

Caroline watched Alaric attentively as he struggled with his painful memories "You would have liked her, she was always smiling and laughing even when everyone was sad around her, she always found something positive in everything. You remind me so much of her..." Alaric smiled now "You have her amazing expressive bright eyes"

Caroline smiled finding some sort of warmth with his words.  
"Do you know about the prophecy?" she quietly asked him.

Alaric nodded "I found out later... when... they took you away"  
Caroline widen her eyes and stared at him surprised "When... what?" she mumbled.

Alaric rested his arms on his legs looking at Caroline "I didn't give you up Caroline, I was compelled into thinking you were dead"  
Caroline gulped down flabbergasted.

"I was told that night in the hospital that you almost didn't make it, I sat with you, held you in my arms for a week until I was compelled into thinking you had died just like your mother... I lost it. I felt like my life was over in that moment. The heavy drinking was easy after that"

"How did you find out the truth?" she asked slowly and trying to understand all this.  
Alaric sighed "Elijah"

"What?" she felt dizzy and fainted.  
"Elijah had been searching for your family for a very long time, he found out someone had stolen you and brought you here. He found me and told me everything. Reversing the compulsion, after years of sneaking into town to see you last year I finally had enough and had to come found you. I couldn't stay away any longer, I left everything and moved here where I could be around you"

"Why didn't you tell me then?" she asked him clicking her teeth together.  
"I couldn't Caroline; no one knows that I'm your father, just me and Elijah. I have no idea how Liz found out"

Caroline shook her head "This is all a little too much... And Jenna?"

Alaric simply moved his head in denial "I couldn't risk telling her and I wanted to tell you everything but the most important thing to me was to keep you safe Caroline"  
She smiled faintly "Safe? I've already died and came back as a vampire"

"I couldn't do anything to help you but I could try to make Elijah's plan work"  
"Plan... I'm a _plan_" she said between her teeth staring at the ground feeling hurt.

"Elijah believes that you are the only one capable of making Klaus feel, I personally couldn't care less about that, all I know is that as long as he believes this, you are safe but if this prophecy theory is real it also means you are only safe until you kill him"

"I'm not going to kill Klaus" she simply said  
"Caroline..." Alaric tried.

"I am not going to kill the only person that has cared more about me in a week than everyone around me for my entire life. I don't care about this stupid prophecy at all, he saved me twice now and I am not going to return the favour by killing him" she said staring at the ground "Besides... the prophecy is wrong, it didn't work"

"What do you mean?" Alaric asked.  
"I haven't made him feel anything, he's still Klaus. I'm sure he just saved me for his own reasons..." Caroline said feeling her chest tight; she had no idea why she had just lied to her new-found father.

"It's just a prophecy Caroline..." he smiled at her.

"But we spent all those months doing everything to keep Elena safe and protected..." she looked at him.  
"I needed a reason to be close to you but I won't lie, being with Jenna has made me happy again and I have come to love Elena and Jeremy as my own children"

Caroline smiled with sadness, new parent but still the same, she was never the one, she never came first to anyone.  
"I need to go... I have so many things to do and catch up with" she said and got up.  
Alaric smiled "Elena and the girls are at the gym working on the decoration for the school theme party"

"Ok..." she said and left feeling gloomy and silly for believing things could actually be any different in her life.  
She stopped by the gym door and pushed it a little open, she heard the girls and Matt laugh and sighed, Caroline turned around and left not wanting to be with anyone but him.

She walked to town, walking aimlessly but ended up on the Sheriff department, with a deep breath she decided to finish her miserable wave with a bang.  
She came inside the building and felt all eyes on her, she forced a smile and spoke to the woman at the front desk that she knew all her life "Hi Mrs Mars, I'm here to pick my mother's things"

The woman gave her a huge patronizing smile that she hated and nodded. She went into the office and Caroline touched her neck feeling uncomfortable with all the eyes burning on her back.  
A boy stopped by her side and gave her a second look; she was trying to ignore him.

"Caroline?"  
She looked at him "Kol? What are you doing here?"

"Apparently I need a new license" he said waving a paper in his hand.  
"The rock star life is giving you headaches?" she asked with a small smile.

"Between you and me, I would just hand the damn Pub over but then I would have to listen to everyone tease me about it. How about you, what are you doing here?"  
"Picking up a few things..." she solemnly said and looked at the returning woman.

"There you go sweetheart... she didn't have much in her office, just a few pictures"  
Caroline saw her face on a frame inside the card box with her mother's belongings and couldn't bring herself to take the box.

Kol smiled at the woman "Thank you darling" he took the card box.  
Mrs Mars gave him a distrust look.

Caroline turned on her heels fast and left the building and the burning pitiful stares, Kol easily caught up to her with the box under his right arm.  
Caroline had to smile at him "You forgot about your license"

Kol laughed "I'll just compel someone tomorrow"  
She laughed softly and walked with him in silence now.

"Tough day?" He asked her.  
Caroline smiled because she sensed honesty of all things in his voice "Is it weird that I don't even know anymore? I seem stuck in a really bad B-movie and I'm just waiting for the credits to come but somehow they never do... It never ends..." she said not taking her eyes from the pavement.

Kol stopped on his way and she had to stop to see what he was doing.  
"I sense subtitles here and I need some Tequila for this" he said serious and raising his hand in the air.

Caroline smiled and followed him to the Grill.

* * *

Klaus stepped inside the library where Elijah read some old book sitting by the window; he raised his eyes from the yellow page and smiled at Klaus.  
"How was your trip Niklaus?" he asked closing the book slowly.

"Useless" Klaus said and eyed his brother carefully.  
Elijah dropped the book on the table next to him and entwined his fingers "So it didn't work?"

"What didn't?" Klaus asked clenching his teeth.  
Elijah stood up and looked outside the window "I genuinely thought she was the one..."

"What the hell were you thinking?" Klaus asked eerily.  
Elijah realised he was standing just a few feet away from him "That you would finally feel Niklaus, that Caroline might be the one to finally set you free from what the shamans and the witches cursed you with"

"So you placed all your bets that I would actually feel anything for this random girl? That she would make me feel?" Klaus spoke slowly and came closer to Elijah, he quickly moved and pinned his brother against the wall with his hand pressing Elijah's throat hard "Who told you that I wanted to feel anything in the first place? That I wasn't content with not having to care about anyone? Caring, feeling... love is a weakness"

Elijah gripped his brother's hand and removed it from his throat "You need to feel Niklaus"  
"Why?" Klaus hissed mad.

"Because I love you and you are my brother and I will never give up on you" Elijah simply said.  
"If..." Klaus licked his lips "...you want to keep being my brother then I suggest you leave me alone, that you stop forging plans behind my back and moving me like I'm just a pawn"

"You need to allow yourself to feel Niklaus, it's not fair that you punish yourself even more for what our parents did... it wasn't your fault" Elijah tried to reach to his younger brother again, like he had done so many times over the centuries.

Elijah placed his hands over Klaus shoulders "You couldn't save Henrich but you saved Rebekah..."  
Klaus shook his brother's touch and shoved Elijah away from him, from his beating heart, afraid that he might listen to it somehow "Stop trying to save me Elijah. The witches chose to curse me because all this was my fault, I'm beyond redemption Elijah"

Elijah fixed his suit jacket and watched Klaus leave, he wasn't about to give up any time soon.

* * *

Klaus came rushing out from the library and found Stefan coming his way.  
"Hey I just saw your car outside, how was Chicago?"

"Walk with me" Klaus said low.  
Stefan squint but went with his friend following him to his car outside.

"I need to talk to you but not in here" Klaus told him and drove off.  
Stefan followed him in his car, Klaus speed down the road and stopped just on the outskirts of town. He came out of his car pacing around the little bridge.

Stefan closed the door to his red car and looked concerned at Klaus.  
"What happened?"

Klaus looked at his friend "I have a problem"  
Stefan pulled a surprised face "You have a problem? And you are admitting to it?" he pulled his eyebrows together.

"You remember the stupid prophecy? That you spent years nagging me about?"  
Stefan sat on his hood and folded his arms "What about it?"

Klaus sighed deeply and looked at him finally stopping with the nervous pacing around.  
Stefan pulled the pieces together and moved from where he was sitting, coming closer to Klaus "For real?"

Klaus licked his lips "I have no idea how this happened" he looked up to the dark sky feeling truly lost.  
"This is a good thing Klaus" Stefan said with a smile.

"This is a disaster Stefan" Klaus snapped "A nightmare if I'm being nice and now is not the time to start doing a happy dance"  
Stefan smiled even more "I know that you don't see it now but this is good. Everything in your life has led you here to this moment Klaus"

"I'm not Damon so you can stop with the good versus evil speech Stefan. I'm not going to change just because she made this thing inside my chest beat"  
Stefan smiled warmly at his best friend "I know you Klaus. I know where all this comes from and even when you didn't feel a thing you still helped me, you gave me purpose, a reason to all my hate and pulled me through my darkest hour"

"Momentarily insanity" Klaus said annoyed.  
Stefan stopped and frowned "Feeling isn't the problem; you are worried about something else..."

Klaus sighed "No one can know about this, especially my family"  
"It's going to be hard to keep it from them" Stefan said and folded his arms "What is it Klaus? What's really troubling you?"

Klaus faced his friend "If my siblings find out that Caroline is the one in the prophecy they will kill her. If Elijah finds out that she's responsible for awakening my humanity he will kill her before she gets the chance to kill me"

Stefan sighed and nodded, they did have a huge problem on their hands.

* * *

Kol sliced another lemon and poured some more tequila to Caroline, she made a face as she gulped down the tequila after the salt but smiled "This is just what I needed" she said and slammed the glass happily on top of the counter.

"Ummm I think I should make a mandatory day for drinking only tequila because I love it too much" he said and sucked on some lemon.

Caroline giggled "You just want an excuse to drink all day"  
"Darling I do not need an excuse to drink" he said grinning and drinking again.

"I couldn't hold my liquor before I became a vampire, now it's just like water to me" she said analysing the liquid in her hands.  
"I love drinking buddies" Kol said and poured another drink to her.

Caroline smiled and made a toast with Kol but became a little serious as Klaus arrived silently by them and sat down coldly ignoring them, her in particular.  
"Hey..." she ventured but Klaus looked at her with no emotion whatsoever.

Caroline chewed on her lip waiting for a different reaction from him.  
"Can I help you sweetheart?" he asked her icily and indifferently.

"Do you want a drink?" she asked him warmly.  
"Sure..." he said and took the bottle away with him, moving to the other end of the counter.

Caroline gushed out a lot of air in surprise "Okay..." she mumbled and moved to face Kol.  
Kol frowned "What the hell happened in Chicago?"

"I really don't know..." she whispered and looked at him.  
He simply sat there unaffected by everything and drinking alone.

Maybe he wanted to be alone, maybe he had a fight with Elijah, yeah that was probably it; she thought and decided to give him some time alone.  
She shared a few other drinks with Kol but kept looking in his direction, she caught his eyes twice and they looked ice-cold and dark to her.

She looked away both times feeling like she was being whip-lashed with Klaus moods every two hours.  
She decided to gain the courage and stood up; she walked to him and slowly stopped by his side.

The Grill was becoming full now and she smiled at some girl she couldn't remember the name, she came closer to Klaus "Is everything ok?" she asked him softly.  
Klaus looked at her "Of course sweetheart, why wouldn't it be?"

She bit her bottom lip "You seem... different"  
Klaus smiled his perfect smile "I assure you I never felt better"

Caroline narrowed "Are you referring to what happened there or here?"  
Klaus slowly dropped his glass on the counter "Caroline sweetheart, I'm a vampire, a hybrid, I can bloody shut my emotions out when I need it and here's a little hint for you... what happened between us will never happen again because I don't want to"

Caroline clicked her teeth upset "We just been kissing not even four hours ago Klaus..."  
Klaus smiled his dark smile and looked at her "Sweetheart... I've kissed a lot of women and I assure you that you won't be the last one I'm kissing before this day ends. So move along love..."

She clicked her teeth together harder feeling bad even more when the girl she had spotted before started giggling.  
Caroline searched for something in his eyes or his face that gave her some clue to why he was acting like this but she didn't get anything.

Klaus resumed to drinking and she slowly turned away leaving.  
She stayed a little more in the pub but kept to herself feeling worse by the minute, she stubbornly remembered Tyler's words screaming in her mind, reminding her that she was probably being used by him. That someone like him would never want her.

Klaus had started flirting with the girl from earlier and they were really cosy now, the girl stroked his leg and Caroline had to look away, she couldn't handle this now.  
Not today, she quietly grabbed the card box with her mother's things and left the Grill, she didn't even bother Kol that was busy until Matt arrived for his shift.

She walked home slowly, tears silently wanting to fall but she managed to keep them locked away for now.  
Caroline had to find much-needed strength when she reached her home; Klaus was sitting on her doorstep waiting for her.

She shook her long hair and walked to her front door.  
"Are you lost? Doucheville is in the next neighbourhood" she hissed down on him walking past him and going straight for the door.

She opened her door and prepared to close it when she felt his hand stopping her, she took in a deep breath "You made your point very clear and loud Klaus, I won't bother you again. Now leave"

His hand on the door was stronger than her but she refused to face him.  
"We have a problem and there is no easy way out of this Caroline" he carried on slowly and even dare she say it, sweetly? She looked down on the floor.

"If Elijah finds out that we are together he will kill you Caroline and I can't allow that to happen"  
Caroline licked her lips slowly, her eyes moving from the ground but still not being able to face him.

"If anyone finds out about what happened in Chicago, they will use it to kill me and you" he said as low as a whisper.  
She gasped at his words and let the tears come down her face guarded by her back turned on him.

Klaus moved his hand from the door and grabbed her shoulders making her look at him, she reluctantly looked up at him "I'm leaving with Stefan tonight..."  
Caroline gulped down, her eyes two huge pools of confusion, sadness and even panic.

"If I leave now, no one will suspect..." he said and cupped her chin smiling, he stroked it gently and then pulled away from her "Goodbye Caroline"  
She roughly dropped the box to the ground and moved as he walked away "Wait, I don't want you to go" she said, her voice that hoarse tone he hated so much because it made him weak.

He froze on his way and slowly faced her, Caroline smiled; here was the Klaus she knew, the eyes that held so much more than words would ever be able to tell.

"You don't have to go, we can make this work. I don't know... in secret or just risking it, I really don't know, all I know is that I don't want you to go. That I never felt like this before and I don't want to lose this Nik, I just don't. I don't want to lose you"

Klaus licked his lips and came closer to her, he cupped her face with his strong big hands, his eyes looking into her very soul.  
"If I stay, one of us will die. I can't gamble with those odds because you are part of them." He said between his teeth.

"I don't care..." she whispered and grabbed his shirt into her hands.  
"But I do... for the very first time in over 1000 years I feel Caroline, I feel everything" he said and leaned over kissing her.

Caroline stroked his neck, pulled at his necklaces as he kissed her deeply, he stroked her cheek when he was done and placed a soft kiss on her lips.  
She opened her eyes smiling but caught a tear streaming down his face and was confused.  
Klaus tensed his grip on her face and widen his eyes; Caroline had no time to react at all.

"I can't be with you Caroline and it's ripping me apart... but I have to go because they will all come after you if I stay here. With me gone and thinking that you aren't the chosen one, you will be safe. You won't remember this Caroline, your last memory of me will be at the Grill and me sending you away, making you feel like you weren't enough for me..." Klaus fought tears he hadn't shed in centuries "... that you meant nothing to me" he lingered on the painful lies.

Caroline blinked and found it strange that she was standing at her front door with the box on the floor; she really must be losing it.  
"Urgh" she remembered Klaus at the bar and every raging feeling came up, of course she dozed off, she was hurt and pissed at him for making her feel like this, like she wasn't enough.

She sighed and closed the door to her house, Klaus watched her from the distance and felt that unbearable pain inside his chest gently being replaced with nothing, he slowly shut his emotions and his feelings down. He could swear his very heart was shutting down as well.

He heard Stefan pull over and got inside the car.  
"Are you sure about this?" Stefan asked.

"Yes" Klaus said and looked at the back seat where Luka was lying unconscious.  
Stefan nod and drove away, they were out of Mystic Falls before the new day was born.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Stay - _Hurts_


	19. You will always have me with you

Caroline twisted the key on her car door locking it, she caught a glimpse of herself on her window and sighed, she looked terrible and she had no idea how to get through this day. The sparkling bright day was the exactly the opposite of how she felt, her entire chest ached.

"Morning Care" Bonnie said cheerfully by her side.  
Caroline forced a smile and turned to her friend "Hey Bon"

Bonnie grimaced "What happened?"  
Caroline slumped against her car "Tyler was right..."

"About what?" Bonnie asked worried.  
"Klaus was just toying with me... using me, I don't even know to what purpose" She said going back to the nagging question she had spent all night thinking about.

"I'm fairly sure I missed something here... do you actually have anything with Klaus? And Tyler knows about it?" Bonnie opened her arms surprised "And I don't?"  
Caroline chewed on her bottom lip "I kissed him a couple of times and I thought I saw something there that I clearly was imagining"

"What happened in Chicago?" Bonnie asked her mad.  
Caroline frowned because of her friends tone "Nothing Bonnie"

"Why did you go to Chicago with him in the first place?" she pressed on.  
"My mum left me some papers to settle cos I'm still 17 Bonnie... you remember how that is... how you had to file for emancipation when your Gran died"

Bonnie shook her head "You are the worst liar Caroline" she said and hastily left her on the parking lot.  
Caroline motion to go after Bonnie but what would she tell her? The real reason behind her trip to Chicago? The moments she had spent with Klaus believing she was having a glimpse into the real man behind the hybrid?

She sighed loudly and painfully and leaned back resting the back of her head against the roof of her car, worst than the nagging question to why Klaus had led her all this time was the most paining one. Even after he sent her away making sure she knew she meant nothing more to him than just some random girl he had kissed she was still protecting his secret.

She clasped the books against her chest staring into the blue sky, maybe she was still holding on to the thin hope that he was just fighting all this and that deep inside he actually cared a little for her.  
"You left without saying goodbye"

Caroline squint and moved her head, she found Kol staring at her with his hands inside his leather jacket serious.  
She laughed softly "Sorry for hurting your feelings"

Kol smiled and walked with her inside their school "You were gone before we finished that Tequila bottle"  
"I ran before you would start charging me for it" she said smiling honestly for the first time this morning.

"I don't take money from my friends" Kol simply said and held the door for her.  
Caroline staggered looking at him "So I'm your friend?"

Kol rolled his eyes "Of course"  
"I'm sorry if I look so shocked, it's just that I am... shocked"

Kol laughed "I'm a very friendly guy, I don't know why you are so surprised"  
Caroline laughed on her way through the rather empty hall towards her locker when a blonde blur pinned her harshly against the wall of lockers.

It took Caroline a few seconds to realise it was Rebekah hissing against her face.  
"What did you do?" Rebekah asked her mad.

Caroline frowned not understanding.  
Rebekah clasped her lips and moved ready to rip her head off, Kol pushed her away with his hand and stood between Caroline and his sister, he looked around to the few people staring at them.

"Have you finally lost your blonde marbles?" he asked her.  
Rebekah breathed hard and furious "Nik left"

Caroline gasped behind Kol, he had what?  
"When?" Kol asked Rebekah surprised.

"He left me a stupid letter saying he was done with this one pony town, that all this was too little for him and he left with Stefan" Rebekah didn't take her eyes from Caroline.  
Kol turned looking at her as well "Did you know about this?"

Caroline only denied with her head, her entire chest was aching, tight with a feeling she couldn't fully explain.  
"You little liar" Rebekah hissed and moved again.

Kol held her by her shoulders "Stop it Bekah"  
"She's the reason he left. I know it, I just know" she said and looked at Kol for support.

"He left because he is Nik and he never stays too long in a place, you shouldn't be so surprised that this entire family trial thing didn't last"  
Rebekah shook his hold on her "He left after he came back from a mystery trip with her"

Caroline looked down from Rebekah's furious stare on her.  
"You are reading too much into all of this" Kol sighed "And you are upset because he left without you"

Rebekah looked at her brother with all that sadness mixed with anger "He never left me before... he always took me with him"  
Kol smiled "Come on Bekah... I'll take you home, you just need to calm down before you start blaming everyone for Nik's mood swings"

Rebekah didn't want to move but she reluctantly did so, she gave Caroline one last long accusing look before she left with Kol.  
Caroline fixed her top strap and went back to her car, she closed the door and sat on her seat clutching her ribs, tugging the pain that ripped through her, he had left.

All her thin hope had been shattered, not only he didn't care at all about her, he had left town without even saying goodbye and she was left to face the horrible truth inside the tiny space of her car.

She was truly alone now. She had no one left, no one that cared, even if she knew his interest and his concern for her had been a lie, it was a lie she wanted to believe in because the truth was too unbearable to take.

She slowly started her car and drove away, letting the silent tears stream down on her way home.

* * *

Bonnie tapped her pencil on the book in front of her, she looked outside the window and shook her head; she pressed her forehead and decided she had enough as the bell rang.

She quickly left school, she felt bad for her stupid fight with Caroline, her friend had just lost her mother and she was giving her a hard time because she had kissed a man, a man who apparently was a dick like Tyler.  
Bonnie rushed to her car but frowned when she saw the older man waiting for her.

"Mr Martin" she swallowed hard.  
The man looked upset and gave her a serious look "They took Luka"

Bonnie almost dropped her things on the ground "Who did?"  
"Stefan Salvatore, I couldn't get to him on time"

"How could he get pass the doorway? Don't you have your house secure?" Bonnie snapped.  
The man gave her a look "He had his brother distracting us, they set our car on fire and as soon as Luka set foot outside..."

Bonnie shook her head "Where did they take him? Did they say anything?"  
Mr Martin shook his head "I tried to stop them but they knocked me out..."

"Have you tried a location spell?" Bonnie asked him in fear of upsetting the older Witch in her presence.  
"I know where he is" The man simply said.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Bonnie said urging the man to move, she hated Luka for what he did to her but she wasn't the kind of girl to sit and watch innocent people die just like that.

* * *

Klaus gave Stefan a look as he handed him blood from the small cooler.  
Stefan smiled "It's not so bad"

Klaus ignored his friend but mostly he tried to ignore the stupid memory of stealing blood to give Caroline, he clenched his jaw at the idiotic memory of having chosen_ B positive_ for her because he enjoyed the implied joke behind it.  
"I'm not hungry" Klaus simply said.

Stefan finished his bag and looked at his friend "We aren't that far away, we could just turn back..."  
Klaus looked the other way; it was beyond annoying how Stefan always seemed to know what he was thinking "Can we hurry up? I'd like to get there today if possible"

Stefan threw the empty bag away "Should we wake him up? I think you bit him a little too hard"  
Klaus looked at Luka and his bleeding neck "I only need him awake when we get there"

Stefan nodded and moved inside the car, they still had a long way ahead of them, he looked at the sky, clouds were forming and it looked like it would be raining soon.

* * *

Elena watched Jeremy pack the rest of his things and sighed stepping inside the room.  
"Do you need any help?" she asked him softly.

"No" he drily answered her.  
She took in a deep breath and fixed her long straight hair "I wish you could stay..."

Jeremy laughed shaking his head "Unbelievable Elena... make sure you write all this down on your precious diary, all the drama and the traumatic goodbye to your brother"  
Elena sighed and licked her lips "When will you stop punishing me for what happened?"

"When I stop remembering that if it wasn't for you vampires would have never come to this town in the first place"  
Elena was hit with all the anger in his words and stayed behind as he took the suitcase downstairs, she stayed in his room fighting with the will to just let him go and try to build her life without all the guilt she felt as well but blood related or not, she still loved him with all she had.

She grabbed her keys and went after Alaric and Jenna that drove him to the new school in another town, she needed to get to Jeremy before he left for good.  
She had to try one last time to get to him.

She was speeding down the road trying to catch them and smiled as she saw Alaric's silver SUV, she used her cell to call Jenna and asked them to slow down; she wanted to talk to Jeremy.  
_"Elena? Ok... I'll ask Alaric to pull over"_ Jenna said warmly from the car in front of her.

Elena smiled happily and then heard Jenna talking.  
_"Who's that? There's someone at the road, she's just standing there..."_ Jenna said not even remembering she was still on the phone.

_"She's not moving..."_ Alaric said.  
_"Look out Alaric"_ Jenna screamed and Elena heard a loud crush.

Her eyes saw a second later what her ears had just witnessed, the sliver SUV in front of her slide to the right as it hit the brakes hard and then tilted ending the impact into something hard. A road light post.  
Elena gasped and stopped her car watching all helplessly.

She hurried outside her car covering her mouth as the car stood there with the tires twisting in smoke on top.  
Elena ran towards the car but stopped as she saw the tall, sexy woman lazily walking and she immediately recognized her.

Katherine smiled and flashed, she grabbed Elena before she could do anything, screaming as Katherine sank her fangs into her neck roughly.

* * *

Caroline closed her door and threw her bag on the ground; she sat on the floor between her room and the front door, the sunset sun peaking in, touching her hand.

She played with the light as it hit her fingers, she twisted her hand and the sun warmed her finger that held the ring Bonnie had used to make a spell so she could walk in the sun.

For a brief amount of seconds that somehow felt like several minutes she pondered the chance of just taking it off, of ending it all.

Putting an end to her growing misery, she closed her hand as the sun gave room to the moon starting the night.  
If anything, it would have to wait; her cursed existence was only postponed by the night that started falling upon Mystic Falls.

* * *

Klaus watched the moon, bright and almost full, only waiting one more night.  
He let the light of it hit his skin, his hand; white from all the bright light that came from his curse, from his true side, the wolf side.

Stefan watched his friend in silence, Klaus was never one to talk that much but now he just shut him out even more, he had no idea what Klaus was feeling only that he was on overdrive right now, overwhelmed with feelings and trying desperately to shut them down.

Klaus closed his fist in anger; never had he cursed his existence so much as he did tonight.

* * *

Elena yelled in pain and tried to wriggle her way out of Katherine's fierce bite.

Katherine was suddenly hit with something hard as steel that pushed her off Elena and smiled waiting to face Elijah, the knight in a shiny suit but was serious as she faced the two piercing baby blue eyes looking at her.  
"Damon..." she gulped down.

He smiled "Hello... bitch" he said and snapped Katherine's neck hard.  
The older vampire wasn't expecting it and didn't offer any resistance; he dropped her limp body on the ground and faced the moaning human clutching her neck wound.

She didn't even look at him, she just moved towards the car but her movements were too hasty and she stumbled dizzy.  
Without thinking Damon caught her "Easy there soldier..."

She fought his arms holding her down "Jeremy..." she said looking at the car.  
Damon squint and looked at the car "Who's Jeremy?"

"My brother..." she said and fought consciousness when she tried once again to rush to the accident wreck.  
Damon pulled his eyebrows together and looked at the girl fighting to stay awake, he watched the neck wound, Katherine really hadn't been nice to the human at all.

She practically ripped her neck open going straight for the jugular and Elena kept losing blood by the second, even more as she fought to stand up and run.  
"You should lie down" He told the human.

Elena angrily fought his hold on her "Let me go, my brother is in that car and I need to get to him, now"  
She fiercely fought and he let her go "Fine, no need to pull a tantrum" he said and simply turned away leaving.

He looked at the ground where he had left Katherine but the vampire was gone, he was upset.  
Damon looked at the girl once more and she was stubbornly trying to pull her unconscious brother from inside the car, the more she pulled the kid, the more her blood came out.

"Oh for Christ sake this looks like a gory movie..." he mumbled upset and went to help her.  
He easily pulled Jeremy out of the car and checked on him, he was just out from the impact, the couple in the front slowly came to themselves as well; the only really hurting one was the human.

God, she looked exactly like Katherine.

He saw her stroke her brother's face gently and slowly grab her wound, moaning louder as the pain and blood loss became stronger.  
"You need to see a doctor or vampire blood" he said kneeling down beside her.

Elena gently nodded "Thank you..." she whispered.  
Damon smiled, a genuine smile, she was a dead ringer for Katherine but there was something different about her.

* * *

Katherine angrily closed the door to her room; she checked her neck on the mirror mad that she hadn't been counting on Damon.

She expected him to be watching her because by now Damon would have known she was in town but why was he even helping Elena and snapping her neck? Oh, she was mad.

A soft knock on her door left her even more upset, she was in no mood to handle Tyler tonight; she hastily opened the door and felt her dead heart stop a second time today.

"Elijah..." she let out slowly.

* * *

Tyler paced around the Forbes house, he was watching for any movement, the news had spread like the plague at school, Klaus has left and Rebekah thought it was Caroline's fault.

He balled his hands into fists, he was so furious; she hadn't wasted any time had she? Giving into Klaus so fast but now he had left.  
This meant that maybe the prophecy was a lie all along; maybe there was a chance for them to be together, for her to forgive him and be with him.

All this time he had pushed her away, so set in believing that she was never meant to be his, to be with him and now Klaus had just walked away.  
Tyler shook his head and paced around a little more hidden in the shadows, it was all a lie, if she really was destined to be with him then he wouldn't been able to just leave her.

He looked at the house buried in the dark and decided, he was going to talk to her; maybe there was still a chance for them after all.  
Yana cut his way smiling "I would just turn around if I were you"

Tyler snarled loudly "Move Yana"  
"No" she simply said and placed herself between Caroline's house and Tyler.

"What are you doing Yana?" he asked her mad.  
The girl just smiled and a few more from her pack appeared behind her, it hit him hard.

They were guarding her house, _he _had left but his wolves were protecting her, watching her house and any possible enemies.  
Tyler closed his teeth in wrath, Katherine was right all along; she had to die.

Slowly he turned around and left, he would get his chance soon enough.

* * *

"Maybe I haven't made myself clear Katerina" Elijah said breathing hard over her face as he held her throat in a menacing way but not really gripping at it.  
Not yet.  
She gulped down "I died, she has to die as well"

Elijah smiled "You are rushing things that shouldn't be rushed"  
Katherine clenched her teeth "I will not rest until I kill her"

Elijah brought his face closer to her "Stop testing me Katerina, I killed you once, I can do it easily again"  
She smiled this time and moved her hand over his smooth shirt "You gave me your blood before you did it so we both know you didn't really want me dead... just useless to your brother"

Elijah looked at her serious.  
Katherine moved her leg and brushed over his leg, she looked seductively at him "Tell me Elijah... how you think your brother will react when he finds out the true purpose of Elena? That you have been hiding this for all this time?"

Elijah looked down from the face he had loved with all of him for so long.  
She softly chuckled and moved her hand to the back of his neck "That's what I thought..."

Elijah slowly faced her "You can't kill her"  
Katherine smiled darkly "I can and I will. Because I will not let Klaus build an army of hybrids Elijah. I already died to stop him once, I will not allow him to use her blood to make more of him and unless you have changed, neither should you"

Elijah released his grip around her and tried to pull away but Katherine was faster and brought his head towards her, crushing his lips against hers.  
Elijah grabbed her head in return and kissed her killing all the long missed feelings inside him.

Katherine smiled pulling his hair roughly, she had missed his gentleman ways but she longed for his untamed ways a lot more.  
Elijah didn't have to think, he knew her body by heart, every single curve and she always brought up the very raw side in him.

"Elijah..." she moaned as he tore her shirt apart, finding her silk skin under his hungry hands.  
He cupped her face not sure if he should be doing this again, he knew he would end up in pain because Katherine always did what she thought was best for her and that never included him.

She smiled and stroked his face "You know why Klaus left town don't you?"  
Elijah nodded in silence.

She easily opened his shirt, buttons flying. She ran her hands slowly over his familiar chest "Then we'll just have to kill all of them" she said in that taunting dark way of hers.

Elijah hesitated but Katherine knew her man too well, she moved away from him and unclasped her bra, dropping it slowly on the ground next to her.  
"It is your duty to protect your family Elijah, from foes and... siblings"

Katherine removed the rest of her clothes and waited for his move, it wasn't long before Elijah had her moaning his name in pleasure over and over under him just like when she was still human.

* * *

Caroline came out of the bathroom and wrapped a towel around her wet hair; she slowly got dressed and sat on her bed putting her boots on.  
Her eyes kept going to the yellow piece of paper on her stand, the drawing with her face that he had made for her.

She slowly reached for it and sighed, it seemed so long ago that they had danced, that she had asked for his heart, she smiled at the irony in that now.  
His heart was beating and he didn't want it, he didn't want anything to do with her.

She got up and dropped the drawing into the garbage; she looked for the other one with his number and did the same. If he was so fast to throw her feelings away why would she hold on to his?

* * *

Stefan checked on the breathing of the kid, he was alive, mostly unconscious but still alive, he rested his arms over his car and watched Klaus.  
They had stopped for gas and out of nowhere Klaus had gone for his black notebook and started ripping pages from it, he now silently dropped them into the improvised fire he had made by the side of the road inside an empty barrel.

Stefan closed the zipper to his sweater jacket and shoved his hands inside the pockets watching the controlled pain and tamed agony of his long time friend, Klaus was desperately removing every memory of her.  
Quickly closing himself to everything that made him remotely feel.

It was almost unbearable to watch.  
It had to be a thousand times harder to feel it and Stefan was helplessly witnessing it all.

* * *

Caroline found Kol flirting with Yana at the Grill.  
She smiled and gave him a look when he came to sit with her "Bonnie will be jealous"

Kol frowned "I haven't seen her today... since school"  
"Neither have I... she's mad at me" Caroline said folding her arms over the table "Just like Bekah"

Kol sighed "Bekah is attached to Nik..."  
"You make that sound like a bad thing..." she said smiling.

Kol smiled but it was a sad smile "I think we are all attached to him somehow"  
"He is your brother, it's normal to be attached" she quietly said, the huge pain in her ribs was making a return from this morning.

Kol played with the table smooth surface and seemed lost in the past "It's blood that bounds us all together Caroline but what bounds us to Niklaus is something entirely different and a thousand times more powerful"

She frowned at his words.

* * *

_"I will not be told what to do all my life..." Rebekah mumbled as she stepped inside the family lodge._

_She gasped as she saw Kol with a wet cloth cleaning someone's back; she picked her long dress up in one hand so she could move faster and felt tears sting her eyes when she heard him silently moan at the pain of the wet cloth in contact with the open wounds. Kol looked at her with fresh tears as well and went back to cleaning his back._

_Rebekah shivered as her hand went to touch his back filled with bloody imprints of their father's wrath._  
_She moved and knelt in front of him, tears reaching her chin fast as they jolted out feeling his own pain._

_Klaus smiled at her and wiped her tears "You need to stop crying Rebekah... I hate seeing you cry" he whispered._  
_She gulped down a violent sob because she felt the excruciating pain in his voice "What happened?" she gently asked him._

_Kol pressed a little harder on one of his wounds and Klaus closed his eyes hissing in hurt, she felt pure agony._  
_"I'm sorry..." Kol said fighting tears again "It was my fault..." he said and lowered his head in shame._

_Klaus moved and grabbed his shoulder, soothingly squeezing it "Stop it Kol, I beg you"_  
_"But he took it out on you; I didn't mean to spill the blood..." Kol said without being able to face his brother that had stepped in to protect him from their father's bad temper._

_Klaus smiled and squeezed Kol's shoulder tighter, making the kid look at him "It's not your fault that he is so obsessed with all this witchcraft nonsense and you did nothing wrong, nothing that a normal boy your age isn't allowed to do"_

_Kol sat on the ground and sniffled, he nodded but he still felt massively guilty for the beating Klaus took for him without saying a word. He hadn't even tried to plea their father to stop._  
_Rebekah took the cloth and silently cleaned Klaus back fighting her tears as well, none of them should be forced to live like this._

_Klaus closed his eyes in pain but he was enduring it all, he was taking all this and turning it into strength, strength to fight their father when the right time came, and it would come one day._  
_And when that day arrived he would free them all from him and his wrong ways._

_He would make sure none of them would live in fear and pain ever again._

* * *

Rebekah had no idea why the flashback of one of the many beatings Klaus had silently endured for her and Kol was resurfacing now but it was.

She looked at Caroline that came out of the bathroom and cut her off; Caroline simply placed her hands inside her long jacket and looked at Rebekah.  
"Why are you lying to me?"

Caroline lowered her head "I'm not Bekah... I don't know why Klaus left and I didn't even know he had left until you showed up with crazy eyes at school this morning"  
"Nik has never left our side; he has always been with us. We have used it against him, said countless times we will leave him but one of us has always stayed with him"

"Well maybe you shouldn't threaten someone with something like that because now he really left" Caroline simply said and moved around Rebekah.  
"If you are lying to me and if you have anything to do with that stupid prophecy I will never forgive you Caroline" she said sternly.

Caroline faced her slowly "What prophecy?"

Rebekah smiled "Now you are lying. You see, I will not take lightly to the fact that someone he met a week ago was able to do what I spent centuries trying. All of us. But even more than that, I will not allow anyone to take Niklaus away from us, if that prophecy is real I will rip you apart before you even get close enough to Nik to hurt him in any way" She finished with a dark shadow to her and walked past Caroline, hitting her shoulder roughly as she did so.

Caroline needed a second to gather herself, her head was spinning fast and she felt that pain again, she couldn't explain what was wrong with her today.  
She decided to go home, shortening her night.

* * *

Caroline pulled over and stepped outside her car and looked at her doorstep.  
She stood there looking at it numbly, it felt like she was supposed to be doing something, remembering something but she couldn't tell what it was really.

She opened her front door and then slowly stopped half way inside, she looked up to the door and placed her hand there, for a second she didn't move, she just stood there watching the door, her hand on it and then looked at the floor.  
Finally she shook her head; what was she doing? She laughed and ran her hand through her hair, she was definitely losing it.

She moved and closed her front door, the stupid pain in her ribs had moved to her chest and it was tight and made it hard to breathe, she went to have a glass of cold water, resting against the counter in her kitchen, she couldn't stop looking at her front door.  
Quietly she dropped the glass on the kitchen table and moved to the door once again.

"Okay Caroline you have officially lost it" she mumbled and sat on the stairs outside looking at nothing really.  
The street was empty; the neighbourhood dead quiet, she scanned the area and causally landed her eyes on her garbage, the paper box that she had brought home yesterday was there.

She looked down on the floor and sighed, she missed her mother.  
She felt her heart sink, she missed Klaus.

She would give anything for him to show up now at her doorstep with those raspberry lips and that stupid smirk of his.  
He would comfort her and she wouldn't feel so alone in the world, he would make her feel like she mattered to someone, that she was important and loved somehow. In his way he always made her feel this and now that he was gone she saw that he kept pushing her, giving her strength when she found she had none left.

She missed him terribly.

She sighed painfully and wrinkled her nose; she wanted to cry but she didn't, she stood up and placed her hand on the door to push it open and then she froze.  
She gulped down and closed her eyes, there was something she couldn't understand, a blur, an image of something that happened or was it just something she had imagined?

She was confused but she saw him, she saw Klaus in her mind, standing exactly where she was now; with his hand on the door and she opened her eyes. This wasn't a silly Déjà-vu, this has happened.

Her breath quicken up and she closed her eyes again but the image was gone.  
It took Caroline half the night tossing and turning before she finally fell asleep, she slept restless, agitated and kept moving in her bed.

* * *

_She walked through endless halls in her school and when she reached a double door, she pushed it open._

_She walked inside the old cottage and looked down on herself; she tossed her dress and smiled because she looked pretty in her long heavy blue cotton dress._  
_She looked around for him, her long hair waving with her side braids leaving her flawless face untouched._

_Caroline let out a small scream as he sneaked behind her and laced his arms around her "Hello beautiful"_  
_"Urgh Niklaus you scared me" she turned and gently pushed him away, he laughed that awful evil laugh of his and she saw the dimples that she could swear were the ones of the devil itself._

_"I have missed you Caroline" he said and pulled her closer to him._  
_She hit his chest covered in the leather vest and enjoyed the smell that hit her, the leather mixed with the animals he had hunted with his brother Elijah, it was how Niklaus smelled and she loved it all a little too much._

_"I have missed you too" she whispered and touched his face, his long blonde hair tickling her hand._  
_She smiled when he took her hand and gently placed a kiss on it "I have missed your touch love"_

_She moved closer to him, his wrist leather band touching at her neck when he stroked her face._  
_"I just wish Mikael would let us get married already Niklaus..." she said sadly._

_He grimaced and licked his lips "He says Finn and Elijah need to get married first because they are older..."_  
_"Next he will say we need to wait for Rebekah because she is the lady in the house..." she pouted._

_His lips twisted into a playful smile "If you are that eager to marry me, we can always run away"_  
_She returned his smile "I know what your dirty mind is thinking right now Niklaus so you can stop. It's not going to happen, it's bad enough that I get talked for kissing you in public as it is"_

_"We're not in public now love..." he said smiling and pulled her face closer to his._  
_She offered no resistance as his sinful lips found hers, she kissed him back knowing she was doomed to burn in hell for this but she couldn't care less._

_She stroked his neck, got her hand lost in his long curly hair and smiled at him._  
_He kissed her lips softly ending the forbidden kiss and played with her braid, indulging in her marvellous beauty._

_"I made you something..." she whispered in that wonderful voice of hers._  
_He frowned as she moved and took something from her pocket, a brown leather necklace that she had worked during his last hunting trip with his brother._

_Klaus smiled as she placed it around his neck, she stroked the small pendent and smiled at him "Perfect" she said happily._  
_He smiled and looked down on it "You made this for me?"_

_Caroline nodded and played with it, stroking it with her perfect fingers "So that the women know that you are taken. I don't like the way they look at you in the Village"_  
_He laughed heartedly at her serious jealous tone "Silly Caroline, I only have eyes for you love"_

_She smiled and stopped at his pendant "I cut myself when I was shaping it so now you have my blood as well with you..." she looked at him serious "You will always have me with you..."she suddenly realised._

_Klaus smiled and cupped her face, he stroked her soft cheek "I love it. I love you Caroline and I promise I will never take it off love"_  
_She smiled and moved closer to him, kissing him deeply and entangling her hand in his new necklace, she loved the new addition to her man._

* * *

Klaus shot up from his seat where he was sleeping; he gasped for air and felt his heart pound in his chest and in his ears.  
Stefan moaned from the passenger side and looked at Klaus "Are you ok?" he asked sleepily.

Klaus nodded and opened the door stepping outside to the deserted road.  
They had decided to stop to rest for a while and Klaus had fallen asleep but was caught up in a strange dream, a dream with Caroline.

He walked a little rubbing the back of his neck, this has been a very vivid dream, it felt real to him, too real.  
He slowly touched at his necklaces and stopped at the one he never took off, in any occasion, he strangely couldn't remember now where he got it.

Klaus widen his eyes and licked his dry lips as he felt the leather pendant where it should have been, Klaus clicked his teeth together and felt his heart race along with his breath, he remembered the fight he got in one night and how the low life had ripped the pendant from his neck, he remembered torturing the man before finally killing him for the unfortunate accident but he also remembered how he had replaced the pendant with a steel vial that contained part of the leather piece, a part with... blood.

* * *

Caroline gasped waking up, sitting up roughly as she woke up from the intense dream, she clutched her chest tight and felt everything burn inside her, everything ached and she found it hard to focus.

She pressed the side of her head and pulled the sheet closer to her lying on the bed again.  
She closed her eyes moaning, why was she having silly Viking age dreams of her and Klaus?

And why did it felt so real and vivid like a long-lost memory?  
She sighed and bit her bottom lip hard, what the hell was happening with her?

Caroline closed her eyes and the words pounded inside her mind.

_You will always have me with you._

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

I need to know - _Kris Allen_


	20. Remember

"Are we going to talk about last night?" Stefan asked walking through the woods carrying Luka like he was a bag of potatoes.

Klaus had been extra silent this morning and didn't show any signs of improving "There's nothing to talk about"  
Stefan smiled because he had taken over the driving part of their journey and Klaus had fallen asleep again only to mumble Caroline's name and then wake up with a gasp just like someone who pulls themselves out of a dream by force.

"It should mean something that you are having dreams about the one girl you are so desperately trying to rip out of your heart" Stefan quietly said removing a branch away from his face.

Klaus licked his lips "Well that will be over soon enough, I won't have to worry about that anymore and neither will you. We'll be busy with other more important matters" Klaus said giving Stefan a look.  
Stefan pursed his lips "Whatever you say Klaus"

Klaus ignored the smile in Stefan's face and resumed to his destiny, he couldn't get her face out of his mind, her blonde hair waving in the wind or the way she said his name in the second dream he had during the night.  
Caroline was haunting him.

* * *

"_Niklaus you will never catch me" Caroline said running through the field covered in white and red flowers, she stopped for a second watching him go to the right path to try to cut her way and smiled, she knew this place as good as him._

_Easily she moved to the left and grabbed her dress in both hands, pulling it up enough to allow her to run faster, she was half way through the meadow when he showed up smiling in front of her._  
_She pouted at him "You cheated"_

_Klaus smile was contained "I took a short cut, that can't be counted as cheating love"_  
_She dropped her dress and folded her arms across her chest "So you caught me good Sir, what will you do now?"_

_Klaus smile became bigger and she was serious, backing up a few steps as he grew closer "I was promised a kiss if I caught you"_  
_She smiled taunting him "Aren't you tired of chasing after me Niklaus? I already told you that I'm not interested in kissing you"_

_"You are a poor liar Caroline..." he said amused and came closer to her.  
_"_Maybe... but you like me" she said smugly._

_"No I don't..." he said serious and pulling his eyebrows together._  
_She squint and he started laughing; she clenched her teeth mad and moved to punch him on the chest mad._

_Klaus caught her in his arms and she giggled when she landed on top of the flowers with Klaus, his hand under her padding their fall._  
_She locked her loving gaze with his._

_"I don't like you... I love you Caroline" he said in that sweet way Klaus only __had __when he was alone with her.  
"Then take your kiss Niklaus..." she whispered feeling his weight on her, his warm body against hers._

_Klaus cupped her face, stroked her satin skin, moved to her hair, playing with the loose blonde hair and smiled. She knew this was it; he was leaning into their first kiss. Her first kiss._

_Caroline was nervous because they had played this little game for months now and still Klaus had never once forced anything, not even stole a kiss and she knew he could have any girl in the village, a lot of them more experienced in the art of kissing and more willing to give in to boy's advances but still Klaus had chosen her._

_Out of all the girls far prettier than her and absolutely smitten by him, he had chosen her since their eyes first met and ignored all other girls._  
_Klaus asked her parents' permission to court her and had been the most perfect man ever since. There was nothing she didn't love about him and nothing she wanted more than to be his. Completely._

_Klaus leaned in slowly and she allowed his lips to trap hers because she wanted to be kissed by him; she felt the smoothness of his full lips on hers, brushing them slightly and she loved the warmth of it as well._

_She smiled when he pulled his lips away from hers, so that's how it felt to be kissed._  
_She blushed a little and touched her lips "I'll keep running if that's what you'll do when you catch me" she confessed in a whisper._

_Klaus laughed softly and traced her perfect face with his finger "I'll chase you forever then"_  
_Caroline smiled and touched his neck, stroking it, it felt perfect, everything about Klaus felt perfect when she was alone with him._

_The way he looked at her, the way he said her name and the way she was here now under him being kissed by him._  
_"Kiss me again" she asked wanting more._

_Klaus smiled indulging her, kissing Caroline was everything he imagined it would be and more, she was the one for him. The only woman he wanted for the rest of his life._  
_He moved and kissed her amazing soft lips again, lingering a little more this time on them, his long hair tickled her and she lost her hand in it, stroking his neck with her other free hand._

_Without expecting it, she felt his tongue cautiously touching her lips, Klaus stopped looking at her waiting for her reaction, she had no idea what was happening but she liked it._  
_  
Caroline pulled his face serious to her and waited for him to do it again, she moaned slightly when he ran his tongue over her bottom lip, she gasped opening her mouth and looked into his eyes, a slight panic shade on hers because she had no idea what to do._  
_  
"Do you trust me?" he whispered stroking her cheek._  
_"Yes..." she nodded and waited._  
_  
Klaus cupped her face with his strong hand and fully kissed her._  
_A brand new exciting world was introduced to Caroline and she loved every second of it, her body was exploding with all these new feelings and she pressed herself to him, pulled at his hair and met his tongue, she really didn't know what she was doing but apparently it wasn't that bad because she felt his breath change._  
_  
He broke the kiss and she licked her lips "Why did you stop?" she asked him softly._  
_Klaus chuckled at her lost expression and kissed her again._  
_  
It was even better than the first time so Caroline felt and she lost track of how long they spent in that meadow kissing each other._

* * *

Caroline sighed and closed her eyes resting her hand over them trying to push away the image of her kissing Klaus in the middle of frigging flowers. She had barely slept with these silly annoying dreams assaulting her. Always with him looking like a Viking God and she like the Viking princess.

"Good morning darling" Kol said and sat next to her on the bench.  
"Morning..." she grunted in response.

"Everything all right with you?" he asked her with a chuckle.  
Caroline smiled and removed her hand so she could look at him. Sure, I just spent the night dreaming of your hot brother and his perfect raspberry lips, she thought.

"I'm fine... I just didn't have much sleep last night"  
"You don't look so good, you really look tired" he said casually leaning back on the bench; he smiled watching Yana come from the building to the area they were.

Caroline liked coming here when she wasn't in the mood to talk to people at school, it was the place that connected the building where they had classes and the field where the Football team practiced along with the cheerleaders. She playfully called this area that had a few benches Switzerland.

"Are you ever going to ask her out?" Caroline asked him smiling.  
Kol smiled back at her "I have enough trouble as it is..."

She frowned "Since when do you have second thoughts about asking a girl out?"  
"Since she became my brother's second in command" Kol said but kept his eyes on the girl who swing her hips on her way to the bleachers.

"So it's true? The rumours that he is the new Alpha in town?" she asked him trying to avoid thinking of him lying on top of her kissing her.  
"They are not rumours, he is the new Alpha and I'm almost sure he went out-of-town to assure his place in other packs"

"Has he... given any news?" she asked him casually.  
Kol wasn't fooled and chuckled "No, he hasn't"

Caroline rolled her eyes at his stupid grin "I was just wondering"  
"Of course darling"

She looked down on the ground "Bekah didn't come to school this morning"  
"Oh she's being a brat but she will never admit to it so just ignore her. Her over dramatic tantrum will eventually go away and she'll get back to normal... how about Bonnie? I haven't seen her today"

"Neither have I seen Elena..." Caroline realised and took her cell, dialling first one and then the other; she was ashamed that her dream activities had kept her busy from noticing her friend's absence.

"They both have disconnected phones..." she told Kol.  
He moved from his laid back position and looked at her "Do you think something happened?"

"This is Mystic Falls, of course something happened" she said standing up "I'm going over Bonnie's, will you go with me?" she strangely didn't want to be alone today.

Kol nodded and followed her.

* * *

Elijah zipped his pants closed and looked for his shirt; he spotted it on the side of her small bed and bent down picking it up.

Katherine smiled watching his broad naked back that had been under her nails all night and bit her lip as he covered it with his shirt, such a shame to keep it covered from her eyes.  
"Do you really have to go?" she asked him sweetly.

Elijah tried to button up the remaining of his shirt, giving up quickly; he placed his shirt inside his pants and looked at her "Last night was a mistake Katerina"  
She giggled and moved forward on the bed, laying on her tummy to the feet of the bed and facing him "I love when you make mistakes Elijah, they only get better with time"

Elijah gave her a calm and composed look "It won't happen again Katerina"  
She dangled her foot from one side the other "That's what you said after the first round" she said and playfully raised her hand in the air, showing her fingers, she raised one finger, then another and smiled widely at the third finger symbolizing exactly how many times he had taken out on her all his anger and raw passion for her.

Elijah gulped down his own shame and regret for succumbing to her yet again.  
"Why did you come back here?" he asked her with honesty.

"I have missed you... no one has ever been able to make me forget about you Elijah" she said with honesty as well and got up from the bed.  
Elijah looked down on the floor avoiding her nudity; she smiled shamelessly "Is that so hard to believe? That after all the men I've had you are still the one that makes me feel the most?"

Elijah clenched his jaw, he didn't know what upset him the most, the fact that she was mentioning all the men she had been with or the fact that she was still the one that made him feel the most as well.

Katherine moved her hand trough his flawless hair and then as she reached the back of his head, she pulled his hair and by association his face to hers "I still want you the same way I wanted you the night you made me yours. My first man..." she whispered to him.

Elijah shook her hold on his face, he couldn't get back into all of this again, she always did this, showed up from decade to decade, use the fact that he had been her first man when she was still human and then use him for endless nights of pleasure until he woke up one day and she was gone. He wouldn't give into her this time.

"Leave town Katerina or I'll be the last man you had before I kill you again..." he said and walked away.  
She smiled as he loudly slammed the door behind him, her sweet passionate Elijah, how she loved him.

* * *

Caroline and Kol reached Bonnie's house and knocked a few times, the door was locked and her car was gone, Caroline tried her cell a couple more times but it remained disconnected.  
Kol convinced her to go over to Elena's.

The brunet showed up at the door with a huge bandage on her neck.  
"Oh my God... Elena?" Caroline gasped worried.

"I'm ok... it's not as bad as it looks" Elena softly answered touching her band-aid.  
"What happened?" Caroline asked with a sad sigh feeling like she should have been there for Elena.

Her friend smiled and reached out her hand to Caroline "Come inside so we can sit, you too Kol"  
The Original smiled with the invitation and the three of them made their way inside the house.

* * *

Elijah sighed running his hand through his hair; everything was spinning out of his control and now this mess of last night that was everything but a mess.  
He hated that woman so much for making him feel so alive when he was with her.

"You are missing a button... or twelve" Rebekah said from the couch smiling at him.  
Elijah did not enjoy the walk of shame he was forced to do now with his baby sister, some things were meant to stay discrete, behind the curtains.

"Rebekah..." he simply said and walked to his room.  
"Katherine must be in town... if you are losing your clothes and your nights" she teased him.

Elijah ignored her and rushed upstairs to shower and change.  
Rebekah went back to her magazine, only Katherine was able to mess Elijah's perfect hairdo like that.

The little wench, she thought and turned the page roughly.

* * *

Stefan dropped the kid on the ground and he finally seemed to come to life, clenching his teeth looking at Stefan and Klaus.  
"What do you want with me?" he asked slowly standing up.

"We are in a mystic place, the woods where a bunch of witches were burned to the stick and I have a witch with me... What could I possibly want?" Klaus said with a sadistic smile.

Luka eyed him mad "A spell? You kidnapped me because of a spell?"  
"A spell I need you to do" Klaus said and took a vial with blood from his pocket.

Luka took the blood shaking "What's this?"  
Klaus smiled hugely "The right question would be, how can I be of help Klaus?"

Luka looked at Stefan that looked indifferent to everything and then back at Klaus "Whatever it is that you want me to do... you are wasting your time, I won't do it" he handed determinedly the blood back.

Klaus smiled and took his cell out; he opened the latest file stored in there and showed Luka a picture that made him gulp down.  
Bonnie gagged and with her wrists tied up, sitting on some chair looking terrified.

"Now... where were we? Oh right, you were about to do a little location spell for me"  
"I won't do it" Luka hissed through his clenched teeth.

Klaus smile was dark and twisted and ever so frightening "Have I mentioned that we've compelled your father to kill her if you don't pull through?"  
Luka felt air leave his lungs, he shook his head and stagger to the ground, falling harshly on it.

Klaus crouched down and placed his hand on Luka's shoulder peacefully, he spoke with that chilling calmness to him "I will call him to release her as soon as you do this for me Luka. No one needs to get hurt mate. Just do this one thing and you can go back to Mystic Falls and be the hero she needs"

Luka showed all the hatred he felt in his heart for the hybrid in front of him "Who do I have to find?" he said between his heavy angry pants.  
Klaus smiled "Fantastic" he took a map from his back pocket and laid it in front of Luka on the ground.

Luka looked down and saw a map of the woods of all American South area, he faced Klaus confused.  
"I need you to find me an army" Klaus said with a dangerous happy smile.

* * *

"How's Alaric?" Caroline asked as Elena filled her and Kol in on the events of last night.  
"He's ok. I think everyone is just a little shaken from everything but everyone's ok" Elena said handing both Kol and Caroline a bottle of water.

Kol gave the water a raised eyebrow and placed it on the table just like it was holly water itself.  
Elena couldn't help the giggle "I'm sorry, I don't have anything stronger in the house. With Jeremy fighting a drug condition we got rid of everything in here"

"How do you survive?" he asked calmly.  
Caroline and Elena laughed at the hinted shock in his voice.

"Jenna and Alaric went to find a way to postpone Jeremy's moving to the new school. He's upstairs in his computer completely ignoring me" Elena sighed.

"He'll come around..." Caroline comforted her friend.  
"I've heard that so many times..." Elena said sad.

"Do you want me to compel him?" Kol asked serious.  
Caroline and Elena looked at him flabbergasted.

"What?" Elena asked opening her mouth in further shock as the words sink in her mind.  
"I can compel him to leave the drugs and actually be nice to you" Kol said naturally.

Caroline gave him a scolding look.  
He shrugged "I can help. Are we not friends?"

Caroline rolled her eyes "Again with this friends thing? News flash mighty Kol, friends are conquered not bought and you need to earn our trust before we can go all around some camp-fire singing Hakuna matata"

Kol squint "Isn't it Kumbaya?"  
"I like Disney movies... whatever" Caroline snapped. "You can't go around offering to compel people to get better, it doesn't work like that"

"All right" he simply said.  
Elena smiled watching the two of them "Thank you Kol anyway. That was kind of sweet" she told the Original.

Kol nodded at her smiling "Well if you need just let me know"

"I will... but for now I have a bigger problem. Katherine Pierce wants me dead" Elena said.  
"Katherine? Now that's a name I haven't heard in so long..."

Elena looked at Kol "Apparently your brother Elijah decided to leave out the big detail that she was dead but turned into a vampire"  
Kol licked his lips "The thing about Katherine is that she kind of has been a part of our lives, it didn't matter if we wanted it or not"

Elena looked at Kol and bit her lip slowly "What's her connection to Elijah? And... Damon?"  
Kol smiled as he saw the way Elena looked at him curious "Katherine was Elijah's forbidden affair and the doom of Damon and my sister Bekah's relationship"

"What do you mean?" Elena asked interested.  
"Elijah went against my family to be with Katherine, to save her from Nik that wanted her dead and then she dedicated her life to do anything in her power to destroy my family, she turned Damon and Stefan and came back to seduce Damon when he was with Bekah"

Elena looked at Caroline that seemed a little away in her world, she returned her brown eyes to meet Kol's "He was there last night, he saved me from her"  
"He must have something up his sleeve Elena, you can't trust him"

Elena nodded and looked down on the table, right now she couldn't trust anyone that was new in this town.

* * *

Klaus looked up on the sky, night was coming fast and Luka was working on his spell. Blood had been poured over the map and as soon as the full moon arrived, all major werewolf gatherings would be shown.

Klaus planned to sire as many werewolf packs as he possibly could, not only he was going to use his natural Original Alpha calling in Mystic Falls but on the rest of the America.  
He was beginning with the South.

Klaus folded his arms watching the boy call upon his magic and knew it was only a question of minutes now.  
"How did you know that he would do it for Bonnie?" Stefan asked him quietly.

"I didn't" Klaus just said.  
Stefan sighed and Klaus gave him a look "Don't be so surprised Stefan, I don't have to give a damn about anyone cos I don't feel anything"

"One day you will have to stop hiding behind that Klaus"  
Klaus couldn't help thinking of her again but quickly pushed her image away from his mind.

* * *

Caroline sat by the counter on the Grill, inevitably she had ended her afternoon here with Kol and Elena that left the house with them after Jenna and Alaric arrived.

She was lost in her own world having no idea what was going on around her; she looked down on the glass of bourbon but only saw a pair of blue intense eyes.

She closed her eyes feeling like she was going crazy with all of this.  
"Can we talk?"

She opened her eyes to find Tyler there.  
"No" she said and looked away from him.

He sat next to her which only made her really upset "What do you want?"  
Tyler locked his fingers together and looked at her "Where's Klaus?"

Caroline laughed without much will "Leave me alone Tyler"  
He looked around knowing that she was being watched and that she was all close to Kol now but the Original vampire was messing around with his cell busy.

"I know that you have something going on with him, he left the pack watching over you" he hissed mad.  
Caroline looked at him stunned but tried to disguise it "You just making this up, give up already. He left and I was the last one to know, by everyone else"

Tyler laughed drily "Just tell me where he is..."  
"Why would you even want to know that?"

Tyler looked at her letting all that anger that lived inside him rise "I can't kill him if he's not in here"  
Caroline shook her head "Haven't you heard? He can't be killed"

"Defending your boyfriend already?" he threw angrily at her.  
Caroline snapped and stood up walking away, he quickly grabbed her hand "Where is Klaus?"

She snatched her hand back "I don't know and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you"  
Tyler got up mad following her as she left the Grill.

"Caroline" he called out for her loud and mad.  
She ignored him and then suddenly stopped facing him "Why can't you just leave me alone? Haven't you punished me enough?"

Tyler stopped on his way looking at her.  
"Enough is enough Tyler. Stop punishing me for what happened. I died as well, you weren't the only one that had a different life from night to-day and you weren't there for me either. You left me to handle my transition alone in that hospital, I had no idea what was happening and you just walked away like the coward that you are" she said mad.

Tyler opened his mouth to speak but then was silent, he touched his heart uncomfortably but she was too mad to notice anything.  
"You are such a hypocrite and a moron... you keep making me feel guilty for what happened but you know what? I'm the idiot here because I have let all this go on for far too long" she shook her head "You cheated on me"

Tyler widen his eyes in shock and she didn't miss it.  
"You cheated on me and I didn't say a word because I thought I wasn't good enough for you... you kept cheating and I just kept quiet and hopped that at least you wouldn't leave me... how pathetic of me but you know what Tyler? I finally see it all, how wrong I have been and how much time I wasted on you and... us"

Tyler clenched his heart and pulled a hurt face but she was too busy letting all her build up rage come forward.

"I have to thank you though, because if you hadn't been such a jerk and cheat on me with every girl who crossed your way, if you hadn't been such an ass and left me alone to cope with the fact that I was turning, if you hadn't attacked me on every chance you got, if you hadn't been the abusive sick bastard of a boyfriend that you were, I wouldn't be standing here now; strong and aware that I sure as hell deserve a lot better than you" she finished with spite.

Tyler laughed through his pain "Like Klaus?"  
Caroline smile was dark and powerful "He may be a cold-blooded murderer but he is a lot more of a man than you will ever be"

Tyler hissed and came at Caroline, he roughly pinned her against the wall, she didn't fight him back, instead she ferociously faced him with her chin high "Are you going to finally hit me to feel like one? Isn't that what you always wanted to do? I remember the night we crashed, I remember how scared I was of you and of what you might do when we came out of that car"

Tyler lowered his head fighting something she didn't know what it was but she wouldn't stop.  
"So he is better than me?" Tyler asked without facing her.

Caroline felt that one tear that she wouldn't waste on Tyler "Yes"  
Tyler finally faced her and she gulped down, his eyes were yellow and she felt his long nails pierce through her skin, he was shifting.

How had she missed the fool moon?  
Caroline shoved him off her but he came fast at her again, his teeth already a deadly weapon.

By instinct she ducked and covered her face with her arms, she looked up as he came to bite her raging but then in that micro second, she realised Kol was there swinging a baseball bat.  
Tyler ended up unconscious on the ground as Kol hit him hard on the head.

"Sorry, I was busy trying to call Bonnie..." he said with a sigh.  
Caroline smiled and stood up "Thanks..."

"Anytime darling... isn't that what friends are for?"  
Caroline had to laugh at his stupid grin.

* * *

"I asked around and this is your favourite?" Elena asked and dropped a glass on the table in front of Damon.  
He checked the drink and smiled "Anything that has alcohol is my favourite drink"

She smiled and waited for him.  
He reacted and pointed to the empty chair with his hand "Please..."

She sat and gently smiled at him "I wanted to thank you for last night"  
Damon took her drink and smiled "Accepted"

She shook her head softly "I'm serious Damon... you didn't have to do that"  
He clasped his lips and leaned over the table "Just between us... I could have walked away and let you bleed out on that road but then Elijah would be pissed, I already have a few of them upset at moi"

She smiled keeping her determination "Maybe you aren't as bad as you like to make people think"  
Damon smiled hugely "No Elena... I'm worse"

She looked down still smiling "Why do all of you vampires try so hard to make us believe you have no feelings left?"  
"Why do all humans so pathetically believe that we actually give a damn? It's so easy to just stop feeling" he took her drink in one take.

Elena warmly looked at him "Us humans..." she said and got up "Thank you for saving my life last night and my brother's. I owe you"

Damon watched the doppelganger walk away, why was she so nice and warm and fuzzy?  
Uh, he needed some girl to drink so he could shake all this goodness away from him.

* * *

Caroline closed the door to her house and rested against it, her head was pounding and she was happy that she was finally home.  
She went for a glass of cold water and after a sip from it pressed the glass hard against her forehead, enjoying the way it was icy and cooling her head instantly.

She shut her eyes and every thought, she felt tired and unsettled, these images kept coming to mind and then it didn't help the nagging feeling that she was forgetting something every time she was home.

Caroline took another sip from her water and slowly walked to her room; she sat on her bed and sighed into the heavy silence that was her home.  
Her eyes rested on the papers on top of her garbage, his drawings.

She chewed on her lip wanting to fight the urge to go there, to pick them up but she was strong, she wouldn't do it.  
Instead she had a quick shower and sneaked into bed trying to have some sleep but turned and huffed so many times she thought her bed would break.

She was tired, so why wasn't she sleeping?  
Caroline stared at the ceiling, he came to her mind again, just like he had been there since she woke up and she tried to recall all the information she had today; he was the Alpha, he had left his subordinates presumably watching over her and she was having intense dreams about him.

"Oh Caroline what's wrong with you?" she mumbled into the pitch dark of her room.  
After a hundred sighs and a few more turns in her bed, she finally fell asleep.

* * *

_"... for the very first time in over 1000 years I feel Caroline, I feel everything"  
"I can't be with you Caroline and it's ripping me apart... but I have to go because they will all come after you if I stay here. With me gone and thinking that you aren't the chosen one, you will be safe. You won't remember this Caroline, your last memory of me will be the Grill and me sending you away, making you feel like you weren't enough for me..."  
"... that you meant nothing to me"  
_

Caroline shot from her bed with a loud gasp, if her heart still had a beating would be going crazy and on a race of its own right now.  
This wasn't a dream like the others, it wasn't in the past.

This was now; this was what she had felt for the last days, this tight inside her chest she couldn't explain.  
She threw the sheet away and got up turning the light on, she was shaking when she took the drawings from inside the trash, she sat on the floor against her bed staring into the face he had made.

She remembered everything, he had compelled her, made her believe he didn't care about her, that she meant nothing to him.  
Caroline didn't know what she was doing but she had to see someone who had answers.

She drove to the manor not even knowing what time it was, as she knocked on their door, she thought she was really applying to a beautiful personal straight jacket on a nut house.

She was thankful that it was Elijah who answered the door.  
"Caroline?" he asked worried and stepped outside.

"I need to talk to you..." she whispered.  
"Would you like to come inside?" he asked her softly.

She shook her head "I rather walk..."  
Elijah closed the door behind him and they walked to the beautiful huge fountain on the doorway.

"What's the matter Caroline?" he asked her in his posed calm way.  
"Alaric told me that you came to find him when he thought I was dead so that means you are the person that probably knows more about me. Maybe the only one that truly knows who I am" she said clicking her teeth together.

Elijah looked down from her teary eyes "What's troubling you Caroline?"  
He faced her and she licked her lips, lingering there building up the courage to ask him the question she had harboured since her first dream.

"Is the prophecy true?" she asked as a warm up.  
"What's really on your mind Caroline?" he asked her serious.

She bit her bottom lip hard "I don't know what I'm doing... this is crazy... Oh God..." she closed her eyes rubbing them.  
Elijah reacted when she walked away "I'm sorry Elijah... I don't... I don't know anything anymore. I think I'm going crazy"

"Why Caroline? Why do you say that?" he called after her.  
Caroline stopped on her way to her car "Because your brother compelled me before he left and I remember everything and that's not possible, it's just impossible..." she shook her head on the edge of madness.

Elijah took a deep breath "Have the dreams started?"  
Caroline froze and slowly turned her head to face him "What did you just ask me?"

He sighed and smiled, walking slowly towards her, he placed his hands on her arms "The prophecy is a lie Caroline, at least the part about you killing Niklaus" he softly spoke.  
"What?" she mumbled.

"It was a way I found so I could keep searching for you. For the right reincarnation of you" he said slowly so she could assimilate all.  
"Why?" she asked in fear.

Elijah smiled "Because you and Niklaus were together as humans before we were all turned. My father lied to you saying that Niklaus was dead and you took your life..." Elijah's smile was gone "When he found out it broke my brother so much that I was forced to do something Caroline... so I made the witches put a spell on him to forget about you"

Caroline looked at Elijah so lost and with such wide confused eyes, he gulped down remembering the painful past.

"The spell worked but he still missed something, he felt your loss but he couldn't explain it so he shut his feelings down and his own heart because he couldn't feel anything without you Caroline... I have spent 1000 years looking for you trying to make amends for my crime towards my own brother. I am the reason Niklaus can't bring himself to feel anything and you are the one that will make him feel again"

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Possibility - _Lykke Li_**  
**


	21. It's me

Caroline was still shaking as she took the glass of water Elijah handed her.  
"Thanks..." she whispered into their living room.

Elijah was happy she had agreed to come inside because she seemed ready to pass out when they were by the fountain.  
"I know this must be a lot to take in" he gently told her.

She sipped on her water "I just don't know what's happening and I feel like all this happened to someone else, not me"  
"It's complicated Caroline"

"How can I remember all these things? Cos the dreams are memories, they are way too real to be just imagination"  
"The tricky part of the spell was that Niklaus wasn't supposed to remember you until I found the right reincarnation of you. Cos then it wouldn't work, it would be some girl with your face but without the memories, a shallow body with no recollection of the undying love you both felt for each other"

Caroline looked up to Elijah "Undying love?"  
Elijah smiled "I think we need to start this story from the beginning..."

Caroline took in a slow deep painful breath.

* * *

_She clicked her teeth together, the Mikaelson family was well-known in the village by now, even if they had only arrived a week ago.  
All the women wanted the dashing handsome sons to marry their daughters and all the young girls had their favourite ones chosen already._

_Caroline was on the market and her friend Tatia wouldn't shush about these brothers, she was the village's most beautiful girl so of course she had her hawk eye set on the one she said was the most perfect man she had ever laid eyes upon. The blonde one, third to the Mikaelson clan and already known to be flirty with women. Of course Tatia was set to steal his heart and gloat at all the other girls when she did so._

_She was describing him to Caroline as they did their daily chores buying food and wine and Caroline happily ignored her, she wasn't interested in getting married just yet, besides her family was poor and she knew how hard it would be to get attention from a decent boy she hopefully would come to love one day._  
_"There they are" Tatia said excitedly._

_"Thank you Cordelia" Caroline thanked the girl who sold her bread and placed it inside her little basket. She sighed because Tatia wouldn't give up and eventually looked to where her couldn't keep her eyes from._  
_Three young men stood there very annoyed and waiting for the tall older man, probably their father and most likely the older brother._

_The man said something and left with the one that had long dark curly hair, Caroline couldn't help to be curious about them and tried to sneak a discrete look at their very famous faces by now._

_She caught the blonde one with his back on her and she lowered her eyes discretely as he shook his broad back laughing at something the brown-haired shorter one had said._

_Caroline moved checking the new fabrics that Cordelia's mum had, she smiled at the bright colours and ran her hand through them, maybe one day she would be able to own something pretty like this. The deep blue cotton fabric caught her eye._  
_But that wasn't all her attention required, she looked at where the boys were and slowly raised her eyes meeting a couple of intense blue eyes staring at her._

_She quickly looked down feeling her cheeks burn; she smiled at Tatia that was still talking about something she couldn't bother with and caught her lip between her teeth before she build the courage to look up again._

_She found him ignoring his younger brothers that happily talked, he was staring at her, serious and with a spark in his eyes; Caroline smiled and looked down from his intense staring._  
_"Are you listening to me at all?" Tatia finally asked her annoyed._

_"Sorry Tatia, I'm running late and my mother will be upset so I must be on my way" she softly said and left._  
_She fought the urge to look after the man again._

_"Oh Caroline love please take these to your mother" a woman called out to her._  
_She smiled at Mrs Filiz and took the huge wolf skins she handed her, Caroline's knees buckled under the weight of it but she forced a smile "Thank you Mrs Filiz"_

_"Just hand them to your mother, they are a small token for her work, for taking care of my children and they will come in handy for winter"_  
_Caroline smiled and was left in the middle of the road to juggle huge wolf skins and a heavy creel with all the things the little money her father harvest within the last week allowed her to bargain and ultimately buy._

_She couldn't really say no to what people were generous to give so she sighed and tried to balance the skins in one hand and take the creel with the other, she almost lost her balance and shoved the warm skins under her chin preventing them to fall as she caught them there._  
_She almost dropped her basket though but a big hand grabbed at it, she looked up stunned at who would dare to steal her creel._

_She gasped meeting two very intense eyes staring at her, a huge smile on his face._  
_"You look like you could use a hand"_

_His warm deep voice made Caroline feel hot, she pushed the skins a little away from her skin wanting to blame them for such strange unknown heat._  
_"There's no need for it... but thank you Sir" she said determinedly and reached out for her creel._

_"I'm headed your way so it's no problem at all" he insisted and held on to it._  
_Caroline pulled her best smile "My mother says I'm not allowed to talk to strangers" she bit her tongue as soon as the words came out, since when did she do what her mother said._

"_I'm Niklaus" he said warmly.  
She smiled giving in just a little "Caroline..."_

_"See? We are not strangers anymore" he smiled and pursed his lips in a funny way so she thought, her eyes rested a little upon his lips._  
_She started walking and allowed him to walk with her, her home was a long way from the market and she would never be able to make it on time for dinner if she had to stop every two minutes to rest._

_They looked at each other smiling as the awkwardness faded with every step they gave._  
_"So how do you like our little village so far?" she asked him with a kind smile._

_Klaus smiled back "It's a very unique and interesting village. It's very well-known out there"_  
_Caroline squint "It is?"_

_Klaus chuckled "Yes, for its mystical ways"_  
_Caroline rolled her eyes "You mustn't believe everything you listen, old people tell old tales; most of them are just stories to spook little children"_

_"So you don't have werewolves among yourselves?" Klaus asked her bluntly._  
_Caroline stopped on her way and laughed, her entire body shook with his question, Klaus smiled hugely watching the beautiful girl laughing in front of him. The long blonde wavy hair tickled by the wind, the amazing eyes that sparkled with joy and life and the exquisite face, Caroline was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen._

_"We have a few lambs dressed as wolves, that we have" she said when she finally calmed down._  
_"And I always thought it was the other way around" He said smiling and she spotted dimples in his face, how adorable was that._

_She shook her golden locks and walked, he resumed to her side._  
_"Werewolves..." she mumbled and kept shaking her head._

_Klaus showed his dimples again and then widen his eyes as he saw a black horse in the field ahead of them, he walked hypnotized by the black beauty there._  
_He reached the horse and Caroline raised her hand wanting to warn him that it was a wild untamed horse but Klaus touched the horse and this one didn't seem affected at all._

_Instead the horse lowered his head and Klaus smoothly ran his hand over him, the horse made a pleasant sound and closed his eyes._  
_Klaus smiled and Caroline was struck, she had never seen anything like this before._

_"Hello beautiful" Klaus whispered and kept stroking the horse, his other hand on its crest._  
_"You like horses?" she softly asked him._

_Klaus intense blue eyes seemed to come to life "I love them, they are loyal like no other creature in this world and they are so pure yet wild. Fascinating" he said with a smile._

_Caroline took his face into her heart, his sparkling blue eyes, his long flowing blonde hair, the perfect lines to his beautiful face and these raspberry lips that were lost among the subtle hint to a beard._

_Yes, fascinating was the perfect word to describe Niklaus._

* * *

Elijah's words pulled Caroline back to the present.

"Since the day he walked you home Niklaus was in love with you as much as you were with him, it took him a week to ask permission to court you and if it wasn't for my father's rather mean ways you would have been married within the year you spent together"  
Caroline realised she was out of water and placed the glass on the table in front of her, she was still shaking she also realised.

"What happened then?" she asked feeling less afraid of the memories that now kept coming forward and settled inside her mind easily.

"We got all turned and when Niklaus came back to take you with him, he found out you were dead. That you had taken your own life when my father told you that inside the boat that carried Henrik's body was Niklaus instead. Your parents said they found you hanging from the ceiling in your room"  
Elijah cautiously said.

Caroline cleaned her cheek with her hand, tears making her hand wet "This is all a little too much" she said between hard breathes.  
"I know Caroline but you aren't alone..."

She turned to face the warm voice of Kol that walked inside the room; he sat next to Caroline and smiled at Elijah that nodded at him.  
"You... know?" she asked him surprised.

"Of course, why do you think I kept saying we were friends? I was trying to make you remember" he said naturally.

She looked at Elijah for a better explanation "After Niklaus found out you were dead he completely lost it... he started killing and burying himself in his vampire ways, there was nothing none of us could do to help ease the pain" Elijah sighed "It was unbearable to see him die every day waking up from horrible nightmares to only find out you were gone, dead. You have no idea how watching someone destroy themselves bit by bit can be devastating and powerless..."

Caroline licked her salty lips from her tears "So you made a spell..."

"Yes I did, I made the witches cast a spell that would make him forget about you. That was all I asked and little did I know I was just making my brother turn into a cold murderer, with no feelings, a monster to so many, victims to his cruel games and sadistic ways, product of someone who didn't have a beating heart. You see Caroline, for us vampires the choice is there, to shut our feelings down or not; he had no feelings to turn off, just a longing he couldn't explain, a memory that refused to come forward and when I came back to undo the spell the witches refused to give into me. They said it was punishment for what my parents had done, for messing with nature the way they had, for unbalancing it"

"What about the prophecy, any of it is even real?" she asked unsettled.  
"Only parts of it, the hybrid part mostly and what my father found inside that cave... we added the part of the curse on Niklaus and that you would kill him after making his heart beat... we used what we could to search for you and used it as a way to keep you safe"

"We? You were in this all along?" she turned to face Kol.  
"You were my best friend back then. We were the same age, grew closer in that year you were together with Nik and I have mourn your death as well Caroline. Elijah needed help and we both have dodged Nik's suspicion for centuries now"

"And Rebekah?" she asked clicking her teeth together.  
"Uh that's a different story, she wasn't too fond of you..." he said with a scared face.

"She hated me?" Caroline asked stunned.  
"Pretty much... yeah" Kol said and laced his arm around her shoulders when she lowered her head feeling dizzy.

"The spell included Niklaus and Rebekah because she was so close to him, she would have told him everything eventually" Elijah explained.  
"And that would be wrong?" She asked facing Elijah again.

"It works a little like forcing someone with amnesia to snap out of it. You can't force too much or the mind breaks, snaps" Kol explained by her side.  
"If any of us forced Niklaus to remember it could have devastating repercussions, he might forget about everything permanently" Elijah finished.

"But I'm remembering, having dreams, memories, flashbacks" she said looking at both of them.  
"You are breaking the spell. The witches couldn't make the spell permanent, no one has that much power so they just made it last until he remembered and for that to happen he would have to find you in the same place where you died, at the same age and we had to hope he would feel, carry on from where you were both forced to end your love"

Caroline sharply gasped "You took me, as a baby, you were the one that took me and brought me here with Elena and Tyler"  
Elijah nodded "But remorse made me search Alaric and tell him half the truth"

"Caroline..." Kol called softly after her "When you died this time and became a vampire we felt panic because this was getting arduous for us to find the right version of you that had your soul from back then but the night you died Nik woke up screaming in the middle of the night and we knew we had the right... you. He was unconsciously reliving your death"

Caroline stood up pacing around the room "I need a minute, or ten or a frigging year to deal with all this"  
Kol looked apprehensively at Elijah "That's understandable and you should take all the time you need"

"He compelled me..." she said looking down on the ground "He compelled me to forget what he told me before he left but I remember it"  
"Your death was tragic Caroline, it ended harshly your story with Niklaus but that only made it the more powerful" Elijah said standing up.

He warmly comforted Caroline with his smile "You should rest now... this was a lot to find out and to take in, I imagine"  
She nodded at him and moved to leave the house, Kol looked at Elijah "I'll go with you. You shouldn't be alone tonight"

Caroline didn't fight him; she had no strength left in her to even argue with him.  
Kol drove them slowly through the empty town and she looked to her window, seeing her reflection in it, the image of her old self appeared before her eyes.

"So we were friends?" she asked him softly.  
"Best buddies and all. I think I even told you about my first kiss" Kol made a strange face.

"That had to be a great talk, considering Niklaus was the first man I ever kissed"  
Kol smiled, he had missed having Caroline around talking about his brother with this much love.

"He never looked at another woman you know, not even after you died. Elijah played everything on a spell that turned into a curse but Nik could have just carried on with his life, you weren't part of it any longer and he didn't remember you but he never did"

These were the words Caroline fell asleep thinking about, her sleep was still restless and short but she didn't have any more dreams.

* * *

Kol slept on the couch, he kept watch on her sleep having noticed Yana outside keeping an eye on the house as well.  
He took his cell and dialled Bonnie's number again, her voicemail answered him.

"Hey Bonnie, it's me... your fake boyfriend, will you please call me back? This isn't good for my reputation; if you are breaking up with me at least we should do it properly..." he stopped and grimaced "I'm worried about you"

The bip told him that his time was over and he ended the call resting his cell on his chin, this was weird and he had a bad nagging feeling about it all.

* * *

Bonnie felt her cell buzz again inside her pocket and closed her eyes, maybe someone was looking for her and would find her soon; she couldn't believe that she had been fooled by Luka's dad.

He just waited until she turned around and knocked her out cold, she had woken up in this cabin with her feet and her wrists tied up.  
She gulped down the panic tears and opened her eyes, she faced the man who seemed lifeless, she was sure he had been compelled and showed no emotion at all towards her.

She tried to talk but the cloth around her mouth didn't allow her.  
Bonnie shook her head trying to set herself free or at least her mouth; Mr Martin came closer to her and removed the cloth.

"Stop moving" he simply told her.  
"I... need water" she said with the corners to her mouth sore from being restrained like this.

The man looked at her without moving.  
"Please... I have been tied up since this morning" she said on the verge of tears.

The man finally moved and grabbed a bottle of water; he opened it and took hold of her chin harshly pouring water into her mouth.  
Bonnie gulped down the water and asked for more as he came to give her water the second time, she looked down on the water and it began to boil in the man's hand.

Bonnie squint and the water became like gasoline, burning fast, Mr Martin dropped the bottle on the ground and moved to stop Bonnie by slapping her across the face hard.  
She fell on the ground and the wooden chair broke behind her, she had one hand free now and quickly moved releasing herself.

Mr Martin grabbed her and pulled her back from the ground by her shirt, she closed her eyes and focused, the man started screaming covering his face with his arms; he twisted around in excruciating pain.  
Bonnie was giving him a hallucination, in his mind he was being set on fire, it wouldn't last long but it should give her enough time to get away.

She untied her feet and ran for her life, she soon found out she was in the middle of the woods; she cut her face as she ran past the mean branches hanging everywhere but it didn't stop her at all.  
She ran as fast as she could and felt hope when she spotted light up ahead, she saw a house as she grew closer but she heard his voice as well.

"BONNIE" he yelled mad and she could swear the second time around his voice was closer.  
She reached the house in the middle of frigging nowhere and fought the will to think she was taking part of some horror movie where a cannibal old woman with freaky sons lived in there.

She saw the car and went to plan B.  
Bonnie smashed the car window with a rock and opened the door scratching and cutting herself with the broken glass.

She sat on the car and shakily tried to remember what Caroline had taught her once about hard wiring a car; she vaguely remembered it and used her cell to shed light on the wires.  
"This is not happening..." she mumbled and was particularly astonished when the car actually came to life.

She smiled and sat straight, she gasped because he was just in front of the wind shield looking like the devil ready to take her.  
She hit the reverse gear and stepped on the pedal, the car made a loud noise as it pulled her as far away from him as she could before she steered the wheel in the right direction.

She kept her tears away, she checked the gas and knew she probably had enough having recognized the road she was in.  
Once she took the short cut through the Salvatore's to Caroline's house she knew she was almost safe.

She pulled the car roughly on her driveway and walked fighting her tears to her door; she knocked once before Kol opened the door.  
"Bonnie?" He looked at her taking in the bloody, scruffy, dirty girl in front of him.

She started crying and he stepped outside taking her into his arms.

* * *

Klaus smiled as the new day was beginning, the sun was peaking through the forest and shed light to the now awakening werewolves; this never ceased to amaze him, a pack.

Hunting all night and sticking together, ending up on the very place they had started off when they had shifted.  
He sat on a rock watching them shift back into human form and smiled as the first ones gave him suspicious looks.

This particular pack was formed by only men but that meant nothing to him, he needed soldiers, he couldn't care less what sex or shape they came in.  
He recognized the Alpha in this group, he had followed the pack all night, he knew which one was calling all the shots.

The boy grabbed his clothes and came closer to Klaus pulling his shirt over his dirty jeans "Who are you?" he asked him.  
Klaus smiled widely "Your new Alpha"

The boy looked behind him and started laughing, everyone else followed him.  
"Is that so? Seriously, who the hell are you?" he insisted.

Klaus stood up and calmly came closer to him "They call me Klaus, the Hybrid"  
He said and grabbed the boy's neck snapping it fast and without any chance of reaction from him.

The pack breathed together in a loud gasp; Klaus dropped the kid's dead body to the ground and smiled at his new pack.

* * *

Bonnie flinched when Kol cleaned her arm; he silently wrapped the gaze around the cuts and looked at her from the side of his hazel eyes.  
She sniffled but seemed much calmer now that she knew she was safe.

"And you say this Martin mate said Nik has his son?"  
Bonnie nodded and touched her face, it was stinging and the blood was drying now which made it itchy as well.

Kol sighed and took the wet towel; he cupped her chin and pulled her head so he could clean it up properly.  
Bonnie was finding his silence strange and a bit eerie actually.

"Kol..." she called trying to start some sort of conversation, anything was better than the heavy silence between them.  
"Why didn't you call me as soon as you got away?" he asked her calm and slow.

She gulped down "I don't know... I'm not used to have others helping me I guess. We always did everything by ourselves" she admitted.  
He pressed her cut on her cheek and she hissed loudly.

Kol dropped the towel away and looked at her; she met his hazel eyes with her green hypnotizing ones.  
His fingers moved from her chin to cup her face and he stroked her bruised cheek gently "You are not alone anymore Bonnie, none of you are" he said in a whisper.

Bonnie opened her mouth slightly not knowing how to react to this.  
They looked at each other and in that second both knew what they wanted.

Kol moved and took her mouth, pressing his lips against hers; Bonnie laced her hands around his neck pressing him closer to her kissing him back as intensely as he kissed her.

His hands were on her back as he deepened the kiss entering her mouth with his tongue, Bonnie moaned against his body, his hands, his lips and his sweet tongue kissing her like she had never been kissed before.

"Bonnie?" Caroline's sleepy voice suddenly brought attention to where they were.  
They broke the kiss breathing hard.

"And Kol?" She asked fixing her morning hair.  
They looked at her; this had to look interesting, Bonnie sitting on the kitchen table with Kol pressed against her, her legs slightly around his waist and moaning against his lips.

"I ... lost my breakfast appetite..." Caroline said wrinkling her nose.

* * *

Klaus was happy when he got back inside the car, his plan was working wonderfully. Not only he had another pack under his belt, his night had been spent watching the wolves in action so there had been no weird and strange dreams; he hadn't slept so she hadn't been on his mind. Well, at least not in a dream way.

"Where to?" Stefan asked him starting the car.  
"According to the map, the second largest gathering is in a club I have been in the past, **Cave**. It belonged to Sage"

Stefan took the directions he gave him and pulled his eyebrows up; they were going back, at least closer to Mystic Falls.  
"I won't be there long so don't bother trying to convince me to go back to that silly town" Klaus said checking on Luka in the back seat dozing off after Klaus had a snack of him last night before going to spy on the werewolves.

"I think you got a little carried away" Stefan said driving away.  
Klaus ignored him, he needed the fresh blood or he would go insane over the blonde beauty that kept popping up smiling in his head.

* * *

"Maybe he was lying..." Caroline said after Bonnie came forward with everything that had happened since their fight at school.  
"Luka's dad was compelled but he wasn't lying Caroline" Bonnie said pacing around the small living room.

"So maybe Nik has Harry Potter, what's the big deal?" Kol asked annoyed.  
Both girls looked at him in sync, he threw his hands in the air "Fine, let's go save Harry Potter then"

* * *

When Caroline stepped outside Kol's car she had a hard time believing the location spell Bonnie had made was right, she looked at her friend in doubt.  
"I did it twice now and it says he is here. At least around here" Bonnie said holding her injured arm that was beginning to hurt a little now.

Kol looked at Caroline "We can check inside but Bonnie should stay here"  
Bonnie was going to protest but Caroline gave her a look.

"Fine" she pouted and leaned against the car mad.  
Kol compelled the bouncer and he and Caroline made their way easily through the waiting crowd.

They parted ways as soon as they came inside the club, it would be easier to find them this way, divide and conquer; that is if they were in here at all.  
Caroline scanned the place with her baby blue eyes and fought disgusted lust looks some men threw her way. She moved closer to the counter and ordered a beer just to look busy.

After the first half hour she was ready to give up when she finally saw him.  
Klaus was leaving the VIP area with Stefan, he told his friend something that nodded at him and left.

Caroline looked after Kol that was around the dancing floor with some random girl, she sighed and pulled her eyebrows and nodded towards the leaving Salvatore. Kol followed him but took his cell quickly sending her a written message.  
_  
**Be careful, don't push Nik, it could be too soon and he might not remember**  
_  
She read his message and took a deep breath, should she even be here? Klaus might see her and things could go wrong.  
Caroline left the bar area and tried to make her way through the dancing kids but she saw him, he was talking to some men and they were handing him something, a knife, a bloody knife she saw.

She hid discretely behind some jumping couple and tried to understand what was happening, the tall broad man bowed his head to Klaus and he seemed happy about it. Whatever this was, it was contagious to say the least, there was a long line forming behind the man, all of them took the knife and she had to gasp. They were cutting themselves and handing him back the bloody blade they had all used.

All this was being done in front of everyone and yet no one seemed to be even paying attention to it.  
Caroline looked away when one of them cut his cheek instead of his palm, when she looked again, Klaus was squeezing his shoulder and saying something that obviously left the man as happy as he had won a ticket to heaven.

All this was having a hard time sinking in and she thought it was a good time to leave as any other. She smiled at the jumping kids as they left the floor and when she looked up she saw a pair of suspicious eyes on her, the man with the cutting cheek was eyeing her.  
Caroline moved fast and went to the bathroom area; she could hide in here before they told Klaus about a blonde voyeur.

She stayed in this are long enough to watch if anyone came after her, when she thought she was safe, she left the large bathroom but was blocked on her way by the same man watching her before.  
She smiled "Excuse me" she politely said and tried to walk past him.

The man cut her way.  
She looked at him expectant but that familiar deep voice came from behind him.  
"It's all right my Second, I got this"

The man moved in silence and left Klaus and Caroline alone in the hall.  
She gulped down when she faced him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her coldly.  
She had to keep in mind that he thought his compulsion had been a success.

"It's a public club Klaus, don't get all cocky, I'm not here for you" she said and moved.  
He was going to step in front of her and cut her way but a group of loud laughing girls came out of the bathroom, Caroline sneakily left among them.

She made half the way to the door when someone grabbed her arm hard and then gripped at her throat, she was pinned against the wall.  
She grabbed his hand and felt her heart stop at the cold look in his face and in his eyes, once full of hope and even caring for her.

"I'll politely ask you again, what are you doing here?" his voice dark and serious.  
She felt his grip tighten around her "And I told you already that I'm not here for you"

Klaus moved closer to her, she took in a sharp gush of air, they were surrounded by people, dancing, making out or drinking people but no one seemed remotely aware of what was happening.

The loud music pounded in her ears and his hot breath was making her dizzy, just like his strong hold around her throat, making it hard to breathe straight.  
"Stop following me" he simply said and removed his hand from around her "I don't want you, I never did" he said and turned around.

Caroline closed her eyes letting all the memories come to her, she had this one chance, if she allowed Klaus to walk away now he would never come back to Mystic Falls and remember her, he would forget and never feel anything again. All of Elijah's and Kol's hard work would be lost.

"Niklaus..." she called him softly.  
Klaus froze moving his head to face her, still his back turned on her.

She came closer to him and cupped his face with her hand; she placed her other hand to his heart and closed her eyes feeling it beat under her touch.  
Klaus removed her hand from his face clenching his jaw "Leave me alone Caroline"

She felt tears to her eyes as he walked away but she was Caroline Forbes and she was not a quitter, she flashed and was in front of him easily, she cupped his face and kissed him.

She just pressed her lips sweetly to his, she could feel him resisting her at first but then she felt his arms on her back, pinning her to him.  
She wasn't the one doing the hard work now as he moved his hand up her back and stopped at the neck, he kissed her deeply and leaving nothing to the imagination, it was a rough kiss, filled with passion but also anger that he was giving in to her.

He broke the kiss mostly mad at himself for not being able to resist her; she licked her perfect red lips and looked at him.  
She melted her body against his and touched this one necklace, she yanked it from his neck and whispered "I need you to remember Niklaus, it's me... your Caroline. Please remember Niklaus...you have to remember. I have always been with you" she said and placed the necklace inside his hand closing it between her own.

Klaus gasped shutting his eyes closed, the memories of an entire lifetime assaulted him and he had to pull away from her, his heart hurt and he clutched the sides of his head in pain as well.  
Caroline licked her lips nervously as he bent down in pain, always grabbing at his head.

She had no idea what was happening but this better work because she couldn't afford to lose him a second time, not know that she knew what he had meant to her.  
"Nik..." she whispered and touched his back.

Klaus was breathing hard, sweating as image after image came to him; finally he raised his eyes to her and swallowed hard, his voice came out as sharp and painful as his heart that was beating strong and fast. For her.

"Caroline?" he asked and she felt tears starting to fall because she remembered everything, her entire history with him and she saw him, her human Niklaus looking at her.

Klaus straighten himself up and took that one step pulling her into his arms holding her tight and close to him.  
"My sweet Caroline..." he whispered into her sweet soft blonde locks and still clutching her necklace in his hand.

She cried in his arms, of happiness and exhaustion.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Painted on my heart - _The Cult_

The time comes - _Nina Gordon  
_


	22. My Queen

_Klaus numbly came closer to the little wooden stand where her body lay covered in a white shroud, her mother was crying helplessly and her father just stared incredulous at the body, Klaus only heard them, he couldn't look at anything else; he only had eyes for her._

_His hand was shaking as he reached out for her face; Klaus took a deep breath and slowly removed the shroud exposing her to him. A tear stream down his face, part of him still didn't want to believe any of it but there she laid, his sweet Caroline, dead.  
__Klaus cupped her cold cheek and gasped, she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, she would always be.  
__  
__He bent down and kissed her lifeless lips, lingering in them knowing he wasn't allowed to kiss them ever again, he rested his forehead against hers still unable to say goodbye to her, he pulled away looking at her one last time before he covered her face with the laced fabric again._

_Kol and a few others slowly carried her body placing it inside the little boat that according to the village belief would carry her to the Gods where she would be happy and watch over her loved ones._

_It wasn't until they set fire to her dead body and he saw the river taking her away from him in flames that it hit Klaus completely, he had been too late to save her, he fell to his knees in so much pain that he cursed being a vampire even more, it made him feel the ripping pain of her loss twice as hard._

_"CAROLINE" he yelled to the skies forsaking the Gods, his parents and everyone that had stolen her away from him, that had placed his heart inside that boat and had set it on fire._  
_Elijah knelt taking his sobbing brother into his arms and hurting with him, wishing there was a way to take all this pain away from him._

_Klaus clutched the dirt in his hands, the Gods had made him this, he had lost her but in true Viking way he would take revenge on everyone, every witch, every man and every woman who dared to outlive her. He would drain them all and rejoice in it, in their blood because she was gone, she was not by his side anymore and no other woman would ever take her place because no other woman was worthy of it._

_There was only one Queen for him and she was dead. Heads would role and he would inflict pain on others as much as his father had inflicted on him with every single beating, he would make mothers cry their children like Caroline's mother was painfully morning now, there would not be happiness allowed around him because he was dead as well._

_Klaus clenched his jaw and raised his head high, staring into the horizon where his Caroline burned, he slowly got up moving away from Elijah, they had made him a monster, it was time he paid them back._

* * *

Klaus memories were coming back as fast as Caroline's tears, they were alone in the VIP area now where they could have some much-needed privacy.

He closed his eyes holding her shaking body, he buried his head in her hair, taking her now familiar scent in; it had to be impossible that was this was her, that Caroline was in his arms.

"Please stop crying sweetheart" he whispered stroking her back with his strong hands.  
Caroline was finally calming down pushing a painful memory of her own away and slowly pulled away from him, he cupped her face concerned; she looked so tired.

"You are here... it's really you. It's really us…" she whispered touching his chest.  
Klaus smiled and stroked her cheek "Yes love..."

Caroline sniffled as he cleaned her face from these tears; she looked into his eyes remembering all the times she had done so in the past.  
Klaus leaned over slowly and touched her lips with his, a flash of new memories assaulting him; Caroline moved her hand to his hair and opened her mouth gasping slightly because it all still felt surreal.

Klaus smiled stroking her face and tilted her head kissing her deeply and thoroughly, she pulled his hair and glued herself to his body.

It was her turn to smile as he kissed her lips softly ending their kiss, impossible or not, she was here, it was her, it had always been her, that's why something always pulled him to her, why he had been blinded by jealousy and killed Mason. He couldn't allow anyone else to have Caroline, she was his, the idea alone was preposterous. A wave of rage coming over him as he recalled Brady and then Tyler... All that they had put her through.

She didn't miss the incoming wrath in him "What is it?"  
"All these people who have hurt you..." he clenched his jaw.

"Pain only makes us stronger…" she said stroking his face, reminding him of his own words.  
"I should have been there, protecting you. But instead I did everything in my power to make you hate me. So many years without knowing you were there, alive..." he said looking down from her deep stare.

"You didn't know Niklaus. None of us knew that there was this huge past between us but you need to stop lying to yourself, you saved my life when you weren't supposed to have any feelings and you still did it. I couldn't hate you even if I tried, something always stopped me" she pulled his head to her, so he could face her again.

Klaus knew there had to be a reason to feel but the silly prophecy made him hate her for it, because he had grown used to not feel anything. It was easier this way but now he was holding this perfect creature in his arms again and he could feel that emptiness he felt inside slowly fading away and he welcomed it.

She kissed his lips happily and stroked the back of his neck "Niklaus..."  
He smiled, how he loved the way she said his name.

"It was you, it has always been you. Nothing felt right until there was you"  
"All those times I hated my brother for pushing me into feeling..." he whispered.

"Elijah was just trying to get his old brother back..."  
"So he puts me under a spell... my family has a hard time doing things in a fair way"

She smiled and stroked the back of his neck gently "Rebekah will go back to hating me, so that's going to be fun"  
Klaus chuckled "Maybe she comes around this time... after all you both really got along when we moved back"

Caroline gave him a look "She loathed my existence because she saw me as the evil thief that was snatching her favourite brother away from her. I doubt that will change any time soon because I don't intend to let you go now that I found you"  
Klaus gave her a playful smile "I always enjoyed being hostage to you love..."

"Some things never do change huh?" she answered his tease and they both melted into a long deep kiss.  
That was a good thing.

* * *

"We should be in there... she might be hurt" Bonnie told Kol, flabbergasted that he was so cool, simply sitting on the hood of his car.  
"Relax Bonnie... you are on your way to an aneurysm" he said with a smile.

She rolled her eyes on him "Klaus can be torturing her or something"  
Kol restrained from answering her with something wicked "I'm sure they are just fine. How many times has Nik actually laid a finger on her except when they were eating their faces while kissing?"

She huffed because she knew he was kind of right, she touched her hair and looked at him "Speaking of... kissing..."  
Kol smiled smugly at her "Already longing for my kisses darling?"

"I kissed you, big deal" she tried to show no interest at all, she looked away and saw Stefan coming her way with Luka.  
"Luka..." she touched her arm knowing it wasn't stinging as much as Luka's painful expression, she saw the dried blood in his neck, the wounds and the way he had been used because of his magic "Your brother is going to pay for this" she hissed at Kol.

"Noted" Kol said and stood up from his car, he looked at Stefan, the unknown help to all of his and Elijah's plans. If only he knew how he had been the key element over so many years, keeping Klaus on track and searching for his long missed feelings. They owed him.  
"Klaus says that you can take him back" Stefan said and released the kid.

Bonnie came closer to Luka "Are you ok?"  
The boy looked at her arm wrapped in gaze, her bandage on her forehead, the scratched face "You don't look so good yourself"

She smiled at him "I'm ok..."  
Kol looked at them both upset and then looked away.

* * *

Caroline moaned enjoying the way he kissed her, she touched his neck and answered him entirely.  
He breathed hard against her face as they unlocked lips and tongues for a brief moment.

Klaus ran his thumb over her lower lip loving the way it looked red as blood, she breathed hard, her hot breath hitting his finger and then she felt him change, felt his body stiffen and she frowned.

"I'm not the same man I was Caroline, the man you knew back then. I have killed and tortured and took pleasure in it... over and over again" he whispered.  
Caroline gulped down and spoke while his thumb came from her lip down to her chin, his eyes piercing Caroline with raw desire but also shame for what he has done upon losing her.

"I know Niklaus that you have been the nightmare of so many and that you have made a name for yourself by inflicting pain but..."  
He gulped down painfully waiting for her verdict.

"But I love you. Your compulsion didn't work, I remembered everything; death itself didn't work because I remember all"  
He pulled her head closer to him and rested his forehead against hers "I don't deserve redemption, I never did" he whispered. "I've done so much... the man you loved is dead, he died when you took your own life"

She closed her eyes in pain, she licked her lips and then looked at him with something he had missed, love "He's right here, in front me. If you are doomed then we'll be doomed together" she said and took his lips again "I finally found my reason to fight" she said against his lips.

Klaus kissed her again getting lost in her knowing that this was meant to be, she had always been destined to be by his side in his entire journey.  
They kissed deeply and Caroline needed some serious air upon breaking the kiss.

"You are not going back, are you?…" she asked in a whisper looking at him.  
"I can't Caroline... not right now, if my father comes at me I need to prepare myself, now more than ever" he said licking his lips, she was his only weakness.

"I know" she nodded understanding; she touched his necklace that was back where it belonged "He won't stop until he becomes what you are. The hybrid, he is blinded by that kind of power isn't he? That part of the prophecy is right..."  
"Sooner or later he will get out of that coffin and he will come at me with all he has got. But I'll harvest as many packs as I possibly can and then I'll go look for him myself so I can put an end to all of this"

She took in a deep breath "Ok Nik..."  
"But I'll sneak into Mystic Falls occasionally to see you. I promise sweetheart" he said with that amazing smile of his "And to kill Elijah for deceiving me"

Caroline laughed softly and finally moved away from him, knowing that it was getting harder by the minute to pull away "You can't because he is the reason we are reunited after 1000 years Niklaus"  
She tried to fix herself somehow, knowing she must be looking a mess from crying so hard.

"Will you be all right?" he asked her.  
Caroline smiled that heart stopping smile of hers "Of course. Oh and I'm taking Luka back with me"

Klaus chuckled at her demanding ways "I don't have any need for him anymore"  
"Thank you" she said and rested her hand over his chest "Will I see you soon?" she asked tilting her head gently.

Klaus smiled and brought her face to him; kissing her long and demanding, making sure she remembered this kiss until they saw each other again.  
"Soon" he said against her lips.

Caroline smiled and licked her bottom lip, she tapped his beating heart with her index "Be careful..." she said worried about his werewolf side, his only vulnerability, his beating heart.  
Klaus took one of his necklaces, the one with the silver beads and dropped it inside Caroline's open hand, he smiled closing it and cupped her face kissing her again.  
"This way I'll be with you as well" he said.

Caroline smiled happily and left the VIP Area, she clicked her teeth together when she saw all the men outside the door, his soldiers.  
She felt his soothing hand on the small of her back "No one will hurt you Caroline, they are all sired to me, what you saw earlier was them pledging allegiance to me and now to you… my Queen"

Caroline gulped down at the intensity of his words and at everything really "Okay… let's do this" she mumbled and took that one step forward.  
The men parted like the red sea for her and she walked knowing every one of these men would kill for Klaus and die protecting him but now her as well.

It was a scary thing to know Klaus had this much power but it was even more scary that it felt natural to her to be walking in front of him taking the place that should have been hers all along.

She came out of the Club leaving him at the door; she smiled as he squeezed her hand.  
"I'll be seeing you soon sweetheart" he said and she believed him.

Kol squint as she came closer to the car, he didn't miss the necklace she was wrapping around her wrist nor the slight change in her eyes, the spark in them.  
He smiled shaking his head, she had done it, she did what Elijah and him had tried for centuries now, she brought their Niklaus back.

* * *

Stefan met Klaus having a drink at the bar "Do you mind explaining why I just handed Luka back to your brother? On your orders"  
Klaus smiled "I have a lot to tell you Stefan, you might need this" he said and poured a drink to his friend.

Stefan took the beverage suspicious of Klaus easiness, he had never seen his friend relaxed and even, dare he say it? Happy.  
Klaus licked his lips and smiled "It's a really long story but you were right, every step, every decision I ever made was leading me to her"

Stefan frowned not really understanding but he always believed there was another side to Klaus so he listened to everything he told him, connecting every word to every unexplainable action and doubt that crossed his mind. It all made sense now.

* * *

Damon felt that it was strange that someone would be paying him a visit at this hour, he opened the door to his house struck that he found Rebekah there smiling at him.  
The sexy shirt she was wearing made him feel even more uncomfortable "What are you doing here?"

She smiled "Can't I visit an old friend?" she said with her hands casually behind her back.  
Damon shook his head "No"

She sighed "Come on Damon, I was alone at the house and I remembered you…"  
Damon staggered at her flirting ways "You hate me"

She rolled her eyes "Sometimes hate sex is enjoyable" she bluntly said.  
Damon pulled away from the door "I know you. You have something up your sleeve"

She smiled wickedly "Actually it's more on my back…" she said and flashed to Damon pulling a stake from behind her back.  
Damon was taken by surprise but managed to dodge her, he pushed her towards the wall and she stumbled but she was stronger, she smiled and came at him again.

She buried the stake in his shoulder and when he cried at the pain, she kicked him, Damon landed on his front door.  
A pair of heels made him look up, Katherine waved her five long fingers at him and smiled.

The last thing he saw was Katherine returning his deeds and snapping his neck.  
"That was easy enough…" she told Rebekah.

The Original looked at Damon's unconscious body and looked away "Are you sure he's in here?"  
Katherine smiled stepping over Damon "In the cellar"

Both vampires made their way there, Rebekah opened the coffin and looked at her desiccated older brother; she laced her hand coldly around the dagger buried in his chest and removed it.  
"Shouldn't take long" she told Katherine.

"Well this was fun…" Katherine said and left.  
"Leaving so soon?" Rebekah asked her.

"I'm not immortal like you and your brother has a foul temper" she pursed her lips together.  
"You know, so does Elijah, he will be pissed when he knows you helped me"

Katherine smiled "I'll handle Elijah, don't worry. He's used to the fact that I think about me first, I do what's best for me… you should worry about your own safety Rebekah, you are going to have a lot of angry brothers"

Rebekah was serious and said nothing, Katherine smiled and walked away smouldering.  
Rebekah looked inside the coffin and then at the dagger in her hand.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Bonnie asked from inside Kol's car.  
Caroline smiled "Yes, I'll be fine alone"

Kol gave her a look "I'm going to drop the Hogwarts students and then I'll be right back"  
"You don't have to, I just want to sleep, it has been a really long week" she said tiredly and walked away not giving anyone the chance to protest.

Kol wasn't happy and drove away "Where do you live Harry Potter?" he asked Luka looking at him in the back seat.  
Bonnie gave him a look sitting next to him on the passenger seat "Drop me off at my house, I'll drive Luka home"

Kol shot his head towards her "His father was compelled to kill you, not a chance in all of hell I will leave you alone near his house"  
Bonnie shook her head "Just drive, I'll tell you where to turn"

"With pleasure darling" he said and drove away.  
She unwillingly smiled and looked outside her window; it was awkward being inside a car with both men she had last kissed but it could be worse.

* * *

Caroline sighed and took her jacket off; every bone was hurting in her body, she left the jacket on the way to her room and without turning the light went to the bathroom, she started the tub with really hot water and came to her room, she switched the lights on and spotted the necklace in her wrist, she smiled touching it, feeling her entire chest swell at the love that was resurging for him, gently entangling with all the feelings she already had in this lifetime.

"This is enough to drive someone insane…" she mumbled and turned to her bed.  
Caroline froze when she saw the man looking at her, sitting on her bed.

"Finn…" she gasped feeling dizzy and sick at the very different memory that came forward upon seeing him.

He dropped a frame he had on his hand next to him on the bed "You know… when Rebekah told me that Sage had been killed I thought I would take pleasure in tearing her killer apart into a million different body parts but when I got here and I saw your picture I found it strange, truly odd… she doesn't remember you"

Caroline looked at her door when he stood up slowly, she was a vampire, she could make it.  
She flashed but Finn simply appeared in front of her and pushed her hard against the wall, she slumped on it and before she could get on her knees, he was grabbing her throat hard.

"Caroline…what a pleasure to see you again. Shall we relive old fun memories? Like the one where I squeezed your throat until you stopped breathing and then left you hanging on your hut making my brother believe that you had killed yourself in despair?" he hissed against her hair. He closed his eyes taking in her smell "My brother didn't deserve you back then and he sure as hell doesn't deserve you now"

Caroline fought for air as his grip got tighter and tighter around her throat, she hadn't told Klaus the reason she had cried in his arms back at the Club, she didn't want to hurt him with her last memory.  
Finn killing her.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Open your eyes - _Snow Patrol_

Come along with me - _Titiyo_


	23. Finn

_Caroline ran as fast as she could, her heart was about to burst and her breath was burning in her throat but she didn't care, she didn't care about her beautiful dress being covered in dirt as she speed down the path that led to his lodge._

_She was crying with the words the village people had told her, how dared they? To bang on her door with such urgency to tell her such evil lies._  
_She finally saw his family hut and rushed to the door. It was open; she felt her knees go weak as she saw the floor covered in blood stains and pools._

_She covered her mouth and moved inside slowly now, the first body she saw was Tatia's._  
_Her friend has white as snow and her wrists and throat had been sliced open._

_Caroline felt sick but tamed her stomach desperately looking for him, she saw two more bodies and rushed there._  
_Esther and Henrik._

_Caroline fell to her knees, stroking the youngest Mikaelson's face, the sweet innocent boy who teased Niklaus, saying that he would grow up to marry Caroline instead of him._  
_"Oh Henrik..." Caroline cried cradling the little boy in her lap._

_He was so young, too young and now he was dead._  
_She raised her eyes in panic, where were the rest of them?_

_The village people had been to her house speaking of a tragedy, a massive wolf attack on the Mikaelson family killing most of them._  
_Where was Niklaus?_

_Finn came inside the hut and she gasped, he seemed well and so did his father that followed him inside._  
_"Caroline? What are you doing here girl? There's nothing for you here. You shouldn't be here" Mikael spoke in that loathing way of his._

_"Where's the rest of them?" she asked unconsciously holding Henrik closer._  
_"Dead" Finn quietly said and laid a sheet on the ground, wrapping Tatia's lifeless body in it._

_Caroline clenched her teeth and looked at Mikael that picked Esther's body next to her._  
_"This was no wolf attack, what did you do?" she asked him mad._

_Mikael stopped with his wife in his arms "Niklaus is dead, they are all dead. We have sent them down the river already"_  
_"You lie" she said trying to stop Finn that took Henrik from her arms._

_She quickly got up and followed the man outside; night was coming to the village._  
_"Where is his body?" she asked Mikael that placed the lifeless body of his wife across his horse._

_He got on his horse and held the body laid in front of him making sure she didn't fall, he looked at Finn that was setting their hut on fire "Take care of her" he simply told his son and then looked at Caroline "Make sure he finds her dead body"_

_Caroline gulped down watching Mikael strut away and had to think fast, she didn't wait and started running, she rushed back to her hut but she was tired from before and her legs were shaking and wobbly._

_But she ran, she ran as fast as she could with Mikael's words in her mind, Niklaus was alive and she had to go to him, find where he was and then everything would be all right._

_She saw her lodge and smiled but Finn was already waiting for her, cutting her way, she looked back, how he got here so fast? How was it possible that he was now in front of her?_  
_She squint at him confused._

_He smiled and took a step towards her "Caroline..." he said with that tone she hated._  
_Unlike sweet Henrik, Finn had desires of his own for her. She spent most of her days dodging his disgusting advances on her._

_"Niklaus will come for me" she said fiercely._  
_"Niklaus is dead" he smiled and came closer to her._

_"He is not. You are lying, I don't know what happened in there but he is alive, I just know it and he will come for me" she said with her head high, she knew her man too well._

_"Well he won't like what I'm leaving for him to see" Finn said and she recognized that spiteful way in him that she hated._  
_She didn't have time to react because Finn seemed to fly and grabbed her by the wrists, she didn't know how it was possible but she was under him, fighting him now._

_"Get away from me Finn, stop it" she fought him, scratching him._  
_Finn was mad and slammed her head down on the ground, she was dizzy and stopped fighting him._

_He looked down on her, Caroline was the most beautiful girl in all the Village and she had caught his attention but like always Niklaus was the chosen one._  
_She didn't even look at him and even when he tried to be nice, she still gave him such cold looks and treated him like he had some sort of illness._

_He stroked her cheek and again she cringed under his touch, disgusted by it, he couldn't help himself and slapped her hard._  
_But then she was crying and Finn felt his regret twice as hard, it must be these new vampire senses that made him feel everything out of proportion._

_He realised he was on top of her, her dressed exposing her leg and she was crying helplessly under him._  
_He wasn't this kind of man, he would never do this to woman, even more Caroline, he slowly removed himself from above her._

_Caroline sat on the ground and pulled her legs to her, her arms tightly around her knees shaking and crying._  
_"I'm sorry... Caroline... I would never..." he shook his head appalled at what he almost did to her._

_She looked at him, her tears streaming down her face scared of him._  
_Finn was ashamed that he caused such terror upon the girl he secretly loved and yes, craved for._

_"What happened inside that hut Finn?" she asked him, her voice hoarse._  
_"They turned us all into monsters" Finn said with doom hovering over his words._

_Caroline cried and closed her eyes thinking of her blonde Viking God with the long hair and the evil smile. She sobbed remembering his intense blue eyes and felt her heart ache at all the love she felt for him._

_Finn watched her and wished someone one day would cry like that for him, that someone would shed tears for his redemption, even if he deserved none._  
_"He's dead" Finn said, burying another nail on his forsaken faith, he was doomed but his vampire side was bringing forward his feelings for the blonde Goddess_  
_that his brother didn't deserve._

_Caroline shook her head refusing to believe him "No... I don't believe you"_  
_Finn let out a noise and she startled at it._

_He was snarling and she was scared of him._  
_"He is dead and I'm supposed to kill you" Finn said serious._

_Caroline shook her head slowly "If he is truly dead... then you are speaking to a ghost because I am dead as well Finn, I died with his last breath"_  
_Again that animal sound poured out of his mouth in anger and he came near her, he knelt and looked at her "Come with me Caroline, I can find a way to turn you into one of us and I will take you away from here, just the two of us. My father will never find us"_

_Caroline didn't take her eyes from the ground and shook her head "No"_  
_She looked up at him "Kill me Finn, I rather be dead than yours" her face grew harder "If you want my body, take it, take it a million times but you will never have me. I will always belong to Niklaus, mind, body and soul and no matter how many lives I live, no matter how many deaths I endure I will always be his"_

_Finn felt that rage come over him and laced a hand around her throat but she wasn't crying any more, she was strong in her last hour and she looked straight at him._

_"He always had everything, my brothers liked him the best, Rebekah has loved him since she was a little baby pulling his long hair and laughing happily. Even my father picked on him the most because he sees himself in Niklaus, out of all us, he wants to make him tough and cold like him... ever since Niklaus was little, he just stopped looking at me... I was like him, I wanted to be like him but he just... never saw it... instead he wanted Niklaus and that... hurts. Niklaus didn't want to be like my father, he never did but I did" he yelled at her._

_Caroline kept her posture defying him with her stare._  
_"Do you know how it feels to be the oldest and have everyone going around worried about what my father did to him? Like he didn't lash out on the rest of us when he was mad..."_

_Caroline smiled at him "Niklaus was not a coward like you that allowed others to take the fault for you. Your father took out on him so many times because of something others did and he never once begged him to stop like you did"_

_Finn clenched his jaw "Of course you defend him... he sees you one day and already comes home speaking of marriage... why should he be allowed to choose you? I'm the oldest, I should be the one taking the fairest of the girls, it's my right"_

_Caroline looked at him with compassion "All this is just petty jealousy for Niklaus?"_  
_Finn looked down from her accusing eyes "No..."_

_She felt her tears again "I love him Finn. And he loves me"_  
_Finn fought his own tears "It's not fair... I'm the oldest, the first man of the house and Niklaus has everything. Admiration, the werewolf gene, love..."_

_Caroline frowned at his words but then her heart raced when he looked up at her, the ice-cold look of death lived in his eyes and she knew this was it._  
_She tried to grab his hand but Finn moved too fast for her human vision and was behind her, squeezing her throat harder and harder._

_Klaus had tamed the wild black horse a while ago and made him his own and Finn heard him approach fast, he was rushing to her. Klaus was coming for her._  
_Caroline tried to scratch Finn, to hit him somehow but he was hard as a rock and knelt behind her, forcing the life out of her by lacing his arm around her neck._

_Her hands became heavier, her punches weaker and her vision darker._  
_She couldn't breathe and felt her life leaving her body and then she saw him._

_She saw Klaus racing down the land towards her hut and knew he was alive but also too late._  
_"Niklaus..." she breathed out as her life and consciousness left her._

_A tear running down her cheek as she closed her eyes to life and to her Niklaus._  
_Finn felt death taking over Caroline and coldly welcomed the vampire ways that took over him; he closed his emotions and carried her dead body to her hut._

_He left her hanging in her room and walked away listening to her mother's screams upon finding her but smiled into the dark of the night when he heard Klaus horrific cries for her name._  
_Now Caroline wouldn't belong to neither of them._

* * *

Caroline coughed as Finn pulled her head back from her tub filled with water.  
His little torture session was nothing less but sadistic, she sat against the tub and looked at him furious.

"How did you get in?" she asked pushing her wet hair back between heavy pants.  
Finn smiled eerily "Rebekah mentioned that the other owner of the house died recently? Maybe you forgot to see that lease"

Caroline closed her eyes for a second, how stupid of her, of course she forgot that detail with her Chicago trip and everything.  
"I also killed the wolves that my brother left guarding the house" he whispered and she gasped feeling panic.

Finn moved and she tried to fight him but he swiftly pushed her head back under water keeping it there for a little while.  
She coughed, feeling her throat burn when he pulled her back up.

She knelt on the floor of her bathroom trying to keep it together, she needed some sort of plan and fast; because Finn was going through her stuff now, throwing clothes on the ground and pulling drawers out.  
"Ummm... perfect" he said and took a bag she had hidden of Vervain inside one of them.

Caroline slipped on the soaking wet floor but tried to get up fast, he caught her as she made it out of the bathroom and easily threw her back inside, she crashed against the mirror and blood mixed with water as she slumped on the floor, she held her tears because she would not cry in front of him.

She was shaking when she removed the glass stuck in her arm and watched Finn drop the Vervain in the water, his smile was dark and evil as he came for her.  
"Time to really have fun Caroline" he said and dragged her back to the tub by her long wet hair.

She tried to keep her screams inside when he placed her hand inside the water but it seemed to burn with pure fire and she screamed, loud and in pain.

* * *

Matt was watching some game without much interest to be honest and switched channel.  
He heard a serious of desperate knocks on his door and frowned getting up from his small couch.

"Rebekah?" He asked as he found the crying girl on his front door.  
She was a mess, crying and tugging at her hair "Matt..."

"What happened?" he asked stepping outside worried.  
"I messed up Matt... I think I did something really bad..." she said pacing around.

Matt gently took hold of her arms "What are you talking about Bekah?"  
"I... I'm remembering it all now..." she said shaking her head in tears.

"You are not making any sense..." he said and sighed.  
She looked at him in pain and despair "After he left, I started remembering... I set him to kill her but I didn't know..." she whispered.

Matt was serious "Calm down and tell me what happened"  
She gulped down her tears "I sent Finn to kill Caroline and now I remember everything... she was here with us when we were human... she was Nik's girl"

Matt was lost but felt his heart race in fear for Caroline, he pulled the sobbing mess that was Rebekah into his arms.  
She clutched his shirt in panic and despair, sobbing in arms knowing she had been wrong.

* * *

Caroline panted clutching her blistering hand; he would let it heal only to dig it again into the water.  
"Well... are we having fun yet?" he said cupping her chin.

Caroline retrieved her chin and gave him an angry look, she clutched Klaus necklace in her hand looking for strength.  
"You still hate me Caroline..." he said with sadness.

She scorned his expression "Why are you doing this to me? Killing me once wasn't enough?"

"You rejected my suggestion to run away with me back then and here I find you, after all this time... a vampire. And then there's the detail that the love of your life chased me for 100 years and then dagger me, he placed me inside a coffin and left me there for 900 years. I have a little grudge against him" Finn simply said crouching in front of her.

"And you killed me but made him think I had killed myself" she spat out in anger.

"Just like I will do it now, as soon as the sun rises I will remove that ring and leave your ashes for him to find" Finn said and grabbed her face harshly.  
"I wasn't good enough for you? You always looked down on me, like I repulsed you..."

"What about Sage? She spent years looking for you, loving you" Caroline said.  
"She wasn't you" Finn simply said and grabbed her wet hair, pulling her back to the tub.

Caroline placed her foot in front of her, fighting him and what he wanted to do now.

Finn was going to drown her again but with Vervain mixed with the water, she fought him hard this time.  
She wasn't a helpless human any more, she was going to put up a hell of a fight and she sank her fangs in his arm, it was his turn to scream.

Caroline shoved her elbow in his stomach and used the leverage of her foot against the tub to tip them over, she was on top of him and quickly rolled over getting up; she flashed out of the bathroom and ran towards the kitchen and her front door.

She opened it but he was behind her already and slammed her forehead against the door, she staggered and grabbed her now bleeding forehead.  
Finn meant to make this last but she was making him angrier, he grabbed a chair and slammed it hard against the floor, he used a broken piece to taunt Caroline.

She was panting when he flashed powerfully at her and waited for the worst but a black blur appeared in front of her taking Finn down.  
She blinked and saw a suit pinning Finn to the ground.

"Elijah..." she gasped relieved.  
Elijah was serious as he gripped his brother's neck hard.

"Good to see you again brother" Finn hissed.  
"What are you doing?" Elijah asked him mad.

"A little preview to what's coming... I will make all of you suffer before I kill you all" Finn said darkly.  
Elijah released him "You are my brother Finn and family comes above all..." he said and stood up.

Caroline felt dizzy and didn't know what to expect but when Finn stood up with the stake in his hand looking at Caroline; she closed her eyes.

Finn launched himself at her, Elijah turned and caught his hand with the stake twisting it and burying the improvised stake in his chest.  
Finn widen his eyes in pain, Elijah was cold and stern as he pushed his own hand on it, the movement making Finn collapse, temporarily lifeless on the ground.

Elijah flashed and caught Caroline that was collapsing as well from exhaustion and weakness.  
He held her unconscious body in his arms and carried her away from the house where she had been through so much.

* * *

Caroline opened her eyes tired, she was anxious and started panting in fear, remembering everything that happened and tried to get up from wherever she was.  
"Wow easy there Caroline..." Kol said with that warm voice next to her.

She sat roughly on the bed and looked at him clutching her head "Where am I?"  
"Nik's room..." he said low and sat on the bed "Elijah brought you here after he saved you"

She felt sick and nauseated "How did he know Finn was there?" she looked at him confused.  
Kol smiled and checked her head, making sure she wasn't too badly hurt "Bekah had a sudden change of heart and went to Matt's. He called me to warn me but I was too far away to make it on time. Elijah was closest"

Caroline took in a deep breath and moved to get up from the bed.  
"Oh no, don't even think about it" he said gently grabbing her shoulders.

"I need to go home... to... clean it and..." she licked her lips holding tears away.  
"You will not leave this house, this is the safest place on Earth right now for you Caroline"

She looked down on the floor feeling really tired.  
"I got you a few clothes from Rebekah and some blood" he handed her a blood bag "There's more on the table and you can shower and then just sleep, all right? I'll be right on the next room, if you need anything just call me"

She smiled at Kol and nodded "Thanks Kol..."  
He gently stroked her bruised chin "The B-movie credits are ending. Now you remember everything and so does Nik. Plus you have us now and none of us will let anything happen to you. I promise"

She fought tears harder than ever and just nodded again.  
Kol smiled and quietly left her; she sniffled and looked around the enormous room.

She had never been here and it felt strange to be in his room, as close as they had been in the past and even now in the present, they had never been intimate.  
They didn't have the chance for that when they were human, it were different times and neither expected to not end married and with 13 children, to grow old and together, sipping on herbs tea and watching their grandchildren play with arrows and wolves.

Just that their life had been cut short before any of it and now she was here, 1000 years later, being punished for loving him, by his own brother.

Caroline came off the bed, leaving the blood there and looked at the clothes Kol had left on some chair, she took the new underwear still unpacked and left the nighty, she needed something else. She needed him.

Caroline silently went through his drawers until she found his long-sleeved shirts; she went through them, smelling them until she found his pale grey one and smiled. Because it smelled like him and she needed that more than anything tonight.

She took off her bloody clothes and left them on the ground; she stepped into the large shower and allowed the hot steamy water to hurt her sore bones as it hit her.  
Everything was hurting and aching, the open wounds, the bruised skin, the painful memories of everything that had happened.

She held her aching ribs and bent down crying, she sat on the ground, laced her arms around her legs and brought her knees closer to her, she cried under the hot stream of water.  
Her entire life has been one painful page after the other.

Her body was shaking with her violent sobs as she broke down heavily, these past weeks had been the worst, almost dying twice at the hands of Brady, her mother dying, her entire life being a lie.

And then there was him, Klaus.  
Part of her life like blood, merged with her saddest and happiest moments.

Able to make her the happiest woman alive as well as the saddest with his cold ways but now that she knew where it all came from she knew her life was one with his. It had always been.

She had only known happiness with him and she needed him more than ever.

* * *

Katherine opened her door stepping inside the dark small room; she switched the lights on and gasped loud finding him there sitting on her bed waiting for her.

"What are you doing here? I had nothing to do with it..." she tried to weasel her way out of it.  
Kol smiled and took the bat that lay next to him on the bed; he slowly stood up and came closer to a shaking Katherine.

"Unlike Elijah, I don't believe every single word that comes out of your pretty mouth any more darling"  
"She should die, if you don't want her to kill your favourite brother" Katherine squint.

Kol smiled and swing the bat, destroying the little mirror next to her left, she breathed hard as he leaned over to her "I'll let you in on the family secret; that part of the curse was made up by me and Elijah. He lied to you just like we lied to the rest of the world"

Katherine looked at him upset "He wouldn't lie to me..."

Kol laughed amused "Just like I knew you were playing me when I... let you steal my innocence away..." he came a bit too close to her face "Elijah was smart enough to not let his lust rule his life. My brother may have his weakness in you but there is nothing stronger to us than family"

She gave him a playful smile, trying to seduce him "My connection to both of you is unbreakable"

Kol started laughing and touched her skin, ran his finger along her collarbone and looked up at Katherine, she unwillingly shivered with his touch and he smirked, he laced his soft big hand around her neck and came inches from her face, Katherine had a hard time staying unaffected by it and she hated that.

"I don't feel anything for you... I could easily kill you for your little stunt today but I'll leave the honours to Elijah"  
"He loves me too much to kill me for good" she whispered looking at him.

Kol leaned over to kiss her but his lips stopped at the last minute before they touched hers, they twisted into a roguish smile "We all love Nik more" he said and pushed her back.

The back of her head was roughly slammed against the broken mirror and she looked after him as he left with hate in her big brown eyes.

* * *

Rebekah sniffled but tried to smile at Matt that handed her a mug with what she assumed was tea.  
"It's going to be ok Bekah..."

"They all will hate me now... Nik..." she shook her head thinking about her brother and how upset he would be, disappointed at her.  
Matt smiled and took her hand "They will understand, I mean... you came around as soon as you realised what you had done"

She bit her lip and shook her head "I was mad... jealous that she was closer to him than me. That he was feeling because of her when I spent my life trying to make him feel"  
Matt was still shaky on the details to all this but he didn't have time to ask for the entire story a second time because there was a knock on his door.

Rebekah flinched and looked at him.  
"Stay here" he said and walked determined to his door.

Elijah was at his doorstep.  
"I'm looking for my sister" he simply said.

"She's not here" Matt said and moved his hand up the door cutting the view inside.  
Elijah smiled and looked to the ground and then back at him "I can compel you"

Matt smiled "Look man... even if she was here... she needs some time and you all need time to cool down before you do anything stupid. I invited her in but I'm not inviting anyone else inside. And you can try to compel me but I take Vervain everyday with my coffee"

"Prevention?" Elijah smiled.  
"I work for an Original" Matt shrugged.

"Very well... please tell my sister that our talk is just postponed until she comes to find me" Elijah said and left.  
Matt closed his door and smiled at Rebekah that was crying again.

He came closer to her and hugged her, she relaxed into his arms; it felt good to be comforted.

* * *

Caroline moaned in pain as she slid his shirt over her head, the cotton fabric made her sore bones hurt.

She took a sleeve to her nose and smiled because it faintly smelled like him; the smell of the soap wasn't enough to disguise his raw smell already embedding in the fabric.

Caroline left the bathroom wearing only some women briefs and his shirt, his necklace was around her neck.  
She froze unable to take another step.

Klaus was waiting for her, he sighed deeply as he took in her bad shape.  
Even if Kol had warned him, it was still hard to take it all in.

He went to her and touched her open forehead, the black bruises on her face, he took in the exhausted look and the painful swollen eyes from crying.  
He shook his head unable to say anything and simply took her into his arms.

Caroline felt like breaking into tears again when she felt his arms around her, no shirt would come close to actually feeling him.  
Nothing soothed her more than this.

She softened her rigid muscles in his embrace and laced her arms around his broad back, loving that his strong hands on hers made her relax.  
"What did you hide from me Caroline?" he broke the soothing moment.

She slowly pulled back and faced him "Nik..." she started but didn't finish.  
Klaus broke away from her and she caught her breath in her throat.

"Why did my brother come for you? Like this..." he licked his lips "... he tortured you..."  
Caroline bit her bottom lip gently, the words were heavy on Klaus, it was painful or him to say them, it must have been harder to know and imagine what happened inside her house and why it had happened.

"I know that you are hiding something from me" He told her slowly, hurting.  
Caroline couldn't look at him, how could she? This wasn't easy to tell him, that's why she had kept it from him at **Cave**.

"I'm all right, Elijah saved me and I'm safe in here..." she said and looked at him smiling "And now you are here, stay with me tonight and let's just forget about everything else" she said and moved, coming closer to him trying to deflect him from his purpose.

Klaus shook his head and she knew she wasn't succeeding.  
"I need to know Caroline" he said serious.

"Why?" she asked him softly "We are here now, alive and together, can't you just leave it like that?"  
"Tell me Caroline" he said with that determination to him.

She nodded and closed her eyes; then she faced him and took a deep breath "I didn't kill myself when I found what happened to you. I went to your home and Finn and Mikael told me you were dead; then your father told Finn to kill me and to make sure you found me" she whispered the words out knowing how much damage they would cause him.

Klaus turned his back on her; he rested his hands on the table where Kol had left her a pile of blood bags.  
She saw how he was breathing harshly and took a step to him; Klaus grabbed one of the bags and threw it violently against his window, blood spreading all over it as the bag broke.

Caroline touched his shoulder trying to sooth him.  
But Klaus was in a bad shape, he couldn't wrap his head around this.

"My own brother..." he said between clenched teeth.  
"Niklaus..." she whispered and moved so she could see his face, she cupped his cheek and turned his face to her.

The pain in his face was unbearable to take and she stroked his stubble wanting to take that pain away from him.  
"I was haunted for being forced to lock him inside that tomb and he... killed you?"

Caroline knew that there was nothing more important to Klaus than his siblings, his family so she knew how much pain he was in right now.  
"He always envied you Niklaus, he wanted what you had..." she stopped her sentence realising how much she had given in.

Klaus tilted his head gulping down and squinting "No..."  
She looked down averting her eyes from him.

"Caroline?" he asked her with the feeling that his world was shifting gears.  
She shook her head and sternly faced him "It doesn't matter anymore, I'm here now and we have a second chance at this..."

Again Klaus broke away from her and she felt shaken by it, she wasn't expecting it.  
He faced his window watching as the blood came down slowly on the glass, how much this described his life, how accurate it was.

"I couldn't get to you when I was first turned, we didn't know what was happening just that we had to... drink blood"  
His voice was low, dark, full of pain and Caroline felt her tears stubbornly making a comeback.

"When I finally transitioned I couldn't leave because it was morning and the sun didn't allow us to step into it, it burned and I had to wait until night..."  
She silently listened to his painful memories.

"But I was too late... you died because of me... and again tonight I wasn't here" the words were filled with sorrow and regret, Caroline closed her eyes fearing his next words.  
But he looked down on the floor falling silent.

Caroline licked her lips and brought his shirt closer to her mouth, wanting to stop the tears that kept falling.  
"What are you saying Niklaus?"

He sighed and turned around, he looked at her and for a little while none of them spoke, then he slowly came to her.  
Klaus cupped her face and she smiled because she saw her human Niklaus, vulnerable yet strong and willing to take on the world.

"I love you Caroline" he simply said and it meant the world to her.  
A million words couldn't make her feel what these words did and when he pulled her closer to him and kissed her, she knew this was the turning point in her life.

"I love you and there is no bigger sinner in the world than me but... I can't let you go" he whispered against her lips and holding her face in his hands.  
Caroline smiled "I don't want you to let me go... ever"

She stroked his hair and pulled at his necklaces answering his passionate kiss.

* * *

**Soundtrack:  
**

Survival – _Muse_

Never let me go – _Florence and the Machine_


	24. Take what is yours

_"I just met my future wife" Klaus said with a huge sigh arriving home.  
Elijah shook his head "We have only been in this town for a week Niklaus" he said busy unloading the wagon.  
_

_Klaus smiled and helped his brother with the wolf skins and supplies for Winter._  
_"Her name is Caroline" he said excitedly._

_Elijah laughed and moved up to the wagon so he could hand the things to Klaus, it would make their task faster and easier._  
_"Your wife has a beautiful name brother"_

_Klaus took the heavy load and looked lost in a day-dream "She's even more beautiful. She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my entire life Elijah"  
"She must be... to leave you in such condition" Elijah teased him._

_"I'm in love Elijah" Klaus said dropping the supplies and moving to face Elijah ready to take one of the boxes._

_Elijah stopped half way from handing him the box in his hands "Brother... what do you mean you are in love? What about the girls you left crying in our old home? All of them clutching their hearts in despair that you were leaving? I heard there were threats of driving daggers into their own hearts even"_

_Klaus rolled his eyes and took the box from Elijah's hands "Don't be ridiculous..."  
__Elijah laughed a loud and rich laughter "Niklaus... I must meet your wife, she must be truly remarkable if she has you claiming fidelity already"_

_Klaus frowned and looked at his brother "I can't explain it Elijah..."_  
_"You just met a beautiful girl and she messed with you. That's normal" Elijah sat on the wagon resting his arm on his raised up knee._

_Klaus sat on top of the box and faced his older brother "It felt different from all the other girls I've met" he said serious now._  
_Elijah smiled "Well... It was bound to happen one day... I feel sorry for the girl but what can we do?" he teased his brother._

_Klaus smile was warm and hopeful "She will be mine. I just know I met the woman I'm supposed to be with for the rest of my life"_  
_Elijah smiled watching his younger brother, no one could deny this woman had a real impact on him and he knew love at first sight when he was presented with it._

_Elijah shook his head "If I didn't know better I would say Niklaus that you have the werewolf gene in you and that you just met your mate"_  
_Klaus laughed pulling a face "You have been spending too much time under the sun today"_

_Elijah returned the laughter "I know... it makes no sense because if anyone, it would be Finn with it but... do you remember what the elder people used to say at our village?"_

_Klaus licked his lips "That werewolves only fall truly in love with one woman during their entire life..."  
"And no one is able to explain it, __some even say that sometimes the love between them is so powerful that they are bound to meet life after life"_

_"No more wine for you brother" Klaus said serious._  
_Elijah laughed and stood up returning to his work "You are right Niklaus, I don't want to cause a fowl impression on my favourite brother's wife"_

_Klaus smiled showing his dimples "That would be awful indeed. Caroline would not enjoy that"_  
_"Have you sorted out the names to your children already? Elijah is a good name for a boy" Elijah said giving Klaus the last box and stepping down from the wagon._

_Klaus laughed throwing his head back "I would have to be insane to name my first-born after you"_  
_"Did I not just say you are my favourite brother?" Elijah was appalled._

_"Only because you needed my help" Klaus finished with a smile and moved inside the family hut with a few boxes._  
_Elijah shook his long curly hair laughing and followed Klaus._

* * *

Klaus was watching the storm begin outside, building up inside him as well.  
He looked away from the window and saw her sleeping, she looked peaceful and to be finally resting without worry.

It still wasn't easy on him, he didn't linger on her. It was proving hard to handle all the things she had told him.  
His own brother lusted against the woman he loved.

Not that he didn't know a lot of men found her as beautiful as he did and he knew he wasn't worthy of her.  
He had never been, even as a human, his father made sure he knew he would never be good enough for a woman like Caroline, for any woman for that matter.

The thunderstorm outside matched his anger towards his own father, always so eager to put him down and to make him feel like he wasn't supposed to be part of this world.  
The rain began hitting the window at first slow and then stronger and thick.

It hit the window from outside and the blood was drying inside. Mixing in a strange way, just like his life.  
He never wanted any of this, he wanted to marry Caroline and have children and live as far away from his father as he could but hurting him day after day wasn't reward enough for Mikael.

He had to destroy his family and destroy Klaus.  
Klaus looked down on the floor, his tears fell as hard as the rain outside, Mikael had done the worst he could to him, he had taken his life and turned him into a monster.

Elijah might have placed a curse on him but he was already a monster. The loss of Caroline and everything his father had told him all through his life and all the pain he had inflicted on him had changed Klaus forever.  
He knew that.

The man he was when Caroline was with him was much different from the one that endured heavy beatings and humiliations from Mikael.

_"No one cares for you boy. No one ever will. You always let me down you are nothing but a pathetic excuse of a son to me. You will never be worthy of love"  
_The words still hurt him, even after all these centuries, they were still able to hurt him.

Mikael had always told him this and then they moved to Mystic Falls in search of a power that his father wanted and was willing to sacrifice all to have.  
Klaus looked at his bed where she was sleeping and felt his tears fall.

And then he met her, his sweet Caroline and dared to hope he could have it all, how wrong he had been and how right his father had been in return, he was the worst that could have happened to Caroline.

* * *

Caroline woke up sighing deeply, she felt like she had slept for days, it had only been a couple of hours but they had been without any dreams or worries, because he was here.

She moved her head on the pillow and looked at the window; he was standing there, looking outside, keeping watch and making sure nothing happened to her.  
There was no greater feeling in the world and she never felt as safe as she did in this moment.

She quietly got up from the bed, her feet avoiding the amount of empty blood bags that she had before falling asleep exhausted.  
Caroline came close to Klaus and touched his arm, he smile looking at her "You are awake..."

She smiled at him and nodded, she realised instantly he had cried "What happened?"  
He shook his head and turned slightly touching her forehead, happy that the wound there was gone; he trailed her beautiful face that now showed no signs of Finn's horrible doings to her.

"Are you feeling better?" he quietly asked her.  
It had been hard to tame his concern but he had kept it together knowing that she was safe in here, under his care.  
For now.

Caroline frowned and came closer to him, she rested her hands on his chest "What is it Niklaus?" she quietly asked him.  
Klaus licked his lips "Memories... decisions" he whispered.

She tilted her head noticing all that pain in his words, she touched his neck soothing him "Talk to me..."  
Klaus looked away from her and faced the storm outside "I'm not good for you Caroline" he kept the _enough _for him.

His words took her off guard, she made him look at her again "Where's this coming from?"  
"You will never be safe with me Caroline... you will always be in danger because I dared to want something that I wasn't worthy off" he said quietly and his words came out painfully.

She shook her head "I know what you are thinking and I don't want this option. It's not even an option Niklaus"  
Klaus smiled and clasped her neck, his fingers touching at his necklace that she wore "I don't want to do this neither but I have to"

Caroline broke away from him mad and holding tears from pouring out, she didn't want to cry any more "I'm tired of crying Klaus and I'm tired of fighting for this love when you won't"  
Her words took him off guard as well and he faced the storm, ugly and powerful, lightning across the dark sky outside.

Caroline closed her eyes, tears silently falling again.  
She cleaned them with his sleeve "I went after you. I didn't want to lose you and I didn't even remember half the things that we had lived together and you've done everything to hurt me Klaus. You didn't do a thing to help me save my mother and you said the most hurtful things to me in Chicago inside that hotel room. You... asked me to kill you"

Her voice became hoarse and he closed his eyes letting the pain settle in because she was right.

"And I forgave you, because I was in love with you and I couldn't explain why. Then you compelled me and left. You left me and I went after you and now that you said that you loved me, you want to leave again" she said not fully getting over the shock still.

"I should have never went after you that day in the village in the first place..." he spoke without facing her, he couldn't if he was going ahead with this "I have forsaken you Caroline"

Her tears never seem to dry, she cleaned her face again but knew more were coming.  
"Everything I touch Caroline is forsaken, doomed to die. I am surrounded by death and I don't want that for you" he looked at her and she saw the tears there as well.

"You have no right to decide my life for me. I am not a child whose life you get to decide as you please" she spat out mad.  
Klaus frowned and looked at her mad "You want to choose now? When I came to this town, you were ready to throw your life away"

"Because I didn't have a reason to live" she shouted mad at him.  
Klaus chuckled "Go ahead, choose. Chose a life with me that will get you killed anyway" he said facing away from her.

Caroline shook her head not wanting to believe this was happening "It's not your fault Niklaus... stop blaming yourself for what happened"  
But Klaus did, he blamed himself with everything he had, regret wasn't enough to describe what lived inside him.

"My brother killed you because I dared to choose you as mine. Even now he went after you and tortured you... you could have been killed again" he said already giving away his plans to leave and never come back to her and Mystic Falls.

"Because you weren't there" she drily said and waited for his reaction.  
Klaus slowly faced her with a stern expression.

She didn't falter "You weren't here and he easily got to me so I suggest that you make a better job this time when you compel me before leaving so that I don't seat around waiting for my executioner"

Caroline could tell how much her words were hurting him, good, if he had a stupid heart it should bleed as much as hers was bleeding now.  
"I won't compel you..." he simply said and walked to the door.

Caroline felt like she was about to disintegrate into the floor, shattered into a million pieces but she pulled herself together and threw at him the last words her betrayed and bleeding heart were able to produce.

"Back at **Cave**, when you said that you weren't the man I loved any more, you were right. The Niklaus I loved and knew would have fought for this love and for us"

Klaus stood by the opened door listening to her words, he closed his eyes in agony.  
"I just want you to be safe... why can't you see this?"

Caroline shook her soft curls "I don't want to be safe... I want you" she said quietly turning around, knowing he was leaving her now.  
Klaus took a step outside but he couldn't do it, he couldn't leave her.

He angrily punched the wall and shut the door furious that she had so much power over him and his actions.  
Caroline silently faced him.

Klaus looked at the woman in front of him knowing he was bound to her, she owned his heart, his soul, him.  
There was not an ounce of him that didn't belong to her, she just hadn't claimed it yet.

They looked at each other in silence and she understood.  
Klaus was acting out of fear, fear of losing her but also out of fear of letting her down.  
Of not being good enough for her.

Caroline walked slowly to him, there had been too many words between them, too many tears and pain.  
She knew what she wanted.

"Finn might have killed me but he didn't win. Death only took my life, not my love for you" she said cupping his perfect stubble, stroking it.  
Klaus licked his lips "Everything in me is yelling that I should let you go, that it's the best for you but I'm unable to leave this room and you"

Caroline watched him knowing if she had a beating heart it would be pounding with love but also something else, something else entirely.  
She found herself wanting Klaus in a way that was almost irrational.

Maybe it was because she was terribly tortured just a few hours ago, maybe because she died too many times or simply because she loved him and she wanted to be his, to finally belong to him and no one else and forget about this fight all together.

Her body may have been touched by others, her lips kissed but there was only one man who truly had her soul.  
He was looking at her now with a lost look in his powerful eyes.

He had always own her immortal love, it was time he took the rest.  
"We'll deal with whatever comes our way, together this time." she said into the dark of his room.

Klaus gulped down not wanting to read too much into the way she was looking at him now.  
He nodded and felt the mood inside the room change, he had wanted this woman ever since he saw her, human and vampire.

His hand was on her cheek and he looked down on her full red lips, wanting to take them, take all of her.  
To make her his.

Caroline closed the small gap between them with her body against his and smiled because the warmth of it made her feel certain of what she wanted.  
The storm outside grew bigger, stronger and she moved her hand to his neck, her desire for him was also growing inside her.

Klaus brought her face closer to him, he barely touched her lips with his raspberry ones, looking at her, making sure this was what she wanted because he knew if he gave in to this kiss, he wouldn't be able to stop what was unfolding next.  
Caroline seemed to know what he was thinking because she smiled and stroked the back of his neck.

"Take what is yours Niklaus..." she whispered.  
Klaus breath was hot and quick against her lips and he did what she asked of him, it had taken them so long to get here.

Caroline moaned into the intense kiss, tugged at his hair answering his sweet invitation as his tongue made its way into her mouth.  
She heard the heavy rain against the window and moved her hands, she kissed him as eager as he kissed her, sweet locking of their lips, she caressed his neck, enjoying the way his hands were strong on her back.

Caroline loved the way he held her lips hostage and smiled because she saw how her touch on his neck, his face was making him falter under it.  
She moved her hand down his firm chest and sneaked a hand under his open buttons, loving that she got to feel his skin.  
Klaus broke the series of kisses because her touch on his skin lit it on fire.

She smiled and placed a kiss on his irresistible lips, she didn't avert her eyes from him moving her hands further down on his chest finding the rim of his tight cotton long-sleeved shirt.  
She gasped slightly upon the sight of his naked chest when his shirt was gone.

He pulled her closer kissing her deeply and with longing, she tugged at his hair a little harder now.  
She loved how amazing his broad smooth back felt under her hands as she caressed them slowly.

Caroline closed her eyes when he moved his lips along her chin, finding her neck now sweetly leaving a trail of fire on her earning skin.  
His hands found their way inside the shirt that she was wearing; his shirt and she threw her head back moaning loud as they grazed her breasts.

Caroline searched for his lips with a sense of hurry; she wanted to feel him completely now.  
She enforced her will on him but he was already set on his own want and need to feel her as well.

He pulled the shirt over her head and cupped her cheek demanding a kiss that was almost rough filled with longing for her.  
His hands moved down her naked back thankful for the chance to have Caroline in his arms alive again, they came down and swiftly picked her up, she laced her hands around his neck smiling as he carried them to his unmade bed.

His sheets already smelled of her, it was only fair that he would take her there, where she should have always been, on his bed.  
Her fingers were lost in his hair, in his neck; she kissed him again, her legs tightly around his waist until he laid her on the bed.  
It felt cold when he pulled away from her, she watched Klaus as he got rid of the rest of his clothes in awe for the man that he was.

Her breath failed her when he knelt in front of her, up until now sheer determination had led her but when she felt his hands on her naked legs and his lips trailing slowly the burning skin of her inner thighs everything went out the window.

Oh it was sinful the way he kissed her and the way his hands felt on her skin.  
She closed her eyes and focused on the sound of heavy rain gushing against the window.

His lips came up and she felt him nibbling and kissing her navel, she bit her lip and looked down meeting him when he looked up at her, the way he did it left her more than shaking.  
Klaus moved slowly and removed her underwear, their eyes powerfully locked with each other.

He crawled back on top of her and Caroline licked her lips, they were suddenly dry and she was breathing harshly, she gasped feeling him against her but Klaus smiled and she wanted to protest because this was becoming torture now as he took things this slow.

Klaus moved in his supernatural speed and grabbed her hands pulling her to him, she found herself inches away from his face and sitting on his lap in the middle of the bed, the evilness was almost too much to bear feeling him so close but still not moving.

But she loved that she was staring into his amazing eyes and loved even more when his hand was on her cheek and brought her face closer, melting his lips against hers.

Now she understood the slowness in his ways, as they kissed slow now and lasting.

She smiled and stroked his stubble, her necklace touched at his, his hands went up and down her back gently and she loved it all.  
They had waited 1000 years for this; this wasn't just sex for neither of them.

It was so much more; she kissed him again getting her fingers lost in his hair and in him.  
Her head was tilted to the side and his hand was on her neck; she met his gaze when they broke another long kiss.

"I love you Caroline" he said running his thumb over her chin.  
She smiled and he indulged in her face, her hair covering his hand now while hers wandered through his body.

It seemed that both were keen on remembering every curve and every line in their bodies, making sure that they left their mark on each other with every touch, every caress.

Klaus was taking his time because he was making love to her, slowly touching her, erasing every painful experience she had been through with his touch.

Taking to him every tear she has ever cried with each slow kiss.  
Removing every wound, every bruise it has ever been inflicted on her with his love.

Caroline fought the urge to cry, all this was overwhelming and with everything that has happen in her life, well, both lives; with all that she has been through, she now felt as if she was rising.

Rising from the ashes like a Phoenix and she knew, Caroline knew just like she knew hours ago when he first said he loved her that this was the turning point in her life, she also knew now that this was the beginning of a new life.

A life with him, she would never be alone again or in pain.  
She had Klaus now and everything was about to change forever.

She kissed him and pressed her body to his and took what was hers as well.  
Klaus gasped when he felt her so close and shut his eyes closed when she moved in his lap and they found each other ready for one another.

She laced her arms around his neck and his name left her lips in a moan when he heaved gently at her breast and nipple.  
Klaus kissed down her neck to her collarbone, left saliva and fire as he trailed down to where his hand was.  
The other was lost in her wonderful hair as she threw her head back letting his hands and lips torture her so sweetly.

He moved his hand down and she let out all these pleasure moans that he was bound to become addicted to.  
His hand moved to her waist and again her breath came out in pants because she was shuddering with desire for him now.

Klaus finally obliged unable to put it off any longer, he laid her on the bed resting on top of her and looked into her eyes.  
She moved her leg around his waist, touching with her foot at his ass, caressing him and letting him know how much she wanted him.

Klaus moved, an overpowering sound of bliss coming from her when he did so.  
He gave her time to adjust to him and to take a moment because having Caroline under him arching her back in pleasure was taking his toll on him.  
She felt his muscles ripple under her touch as he began moving, deep and slow.

Caroline closed her eyes, feeling his hot steady breath on her neck, his hands touching her body making it all even more intimate.  
His hands were everywhere it seemed, his lips kissed her neck, she shivered in lust and pleasure with every steady move he made inside her, making her feel things she had no idea were even possible to feel.

She felt like screaming but she was moaning loud instead, she wanted to embrace him but she was scratching his back deep.  
Klaus closed his eyes feeling the pain go through him but it wasn't from his bleeding back, it was for way she made him feel; the way his heart was pounding in his ears.

He moved his hand underneath her, placed it on her lower back and pressed her to him, he wanted to melt into her, to be one with her.  
"Nik..." she cried out wanting to fade into him.

The storm was powerful outside with all the rain and thunder and inside his room they were getting lost in each other.

She urged him to move faster with her body, with the way she was reacting to him, she pressed him as well against her moving with him now.  
Klaus reached out for the pillow next to her face and grabbed at it, bringing them closer to the sweet unravel that was approaching.

Caroline whimpered in pleasure when he moved just that bit faster and deeply hitting every right place.  
"Niklaus..." she gasped.

She moved her hands clasping at his neck, his necklaces were hitting hers with his every move.  
She was breathing against him, holding him close to her knowing she was close.

He looked at her, their breaths were loud pants that matched each other, just like their bodies.  
Caroline locked her eyes with his while he moved so skilfully into her and moved her hand over to his heart, feeling the way it was racing under her touch.

Klaus felt that throbbing pain rip through his very veins, she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and he loved her with all of his beating heart.  
She cupped his face "I love you Niklaus... it will always be you" she whispered.

Klaus fought to not lose it just yet, his hand was slippery in her back; he pushed watching the breathtaking woman beneath him, the pleasure in her face, the way she clasped her eyes shut surrendering to everything he was pulling out of her.

He brought them over the edge with his last movements and felt her body give in finally, in ecstasy and bliss, he was right there with her, his breath and his heart away from his usual control.

Caroline felt dizzy, like she had just fall off a cliff and he had been there to catch her, her legs entangled with his.  
She was panting, her hands were on his back and then she felt his hand on her face.

She opened her eyes to find his piercing blue eyes on her.  
"Caroline..." He whispered into the dark of his room, where their racing tired breaths could heard while it still poured outside.

She tried to steady her non beating heart and her heavy breathing.  
She smiled at him and loved that he hadn't moved an inch yet.

"You are the first woman I ever kissed and the only woman to own my heart... forever" he whispered mesmerized with her and she felt like blushing for the first time but his lips were on hers, leaving a sweet kiss on them.

She smiled and stroked his hair, overwhelmed that he was so vulnerable right now.  
He wasn't the cold hybrid that was able of the most awful things or the sarcastic man who took what he wanted and didn't bother about collateral damage.  
No, right now he was just a man who had made love to her.

She smiled and touched at his necklaces coming down his neck, her other hand still rested above his heart "I promise I'll take good care of it"  
Klaus opened up to one of these happy smiles that showed his dimples "It's yours to do as you please sweetheart"

But she knew that wasn't all that belonged to her now, Caroline bit her lip smiling and melted against him, sweaty bodies against one another as they kissed now.

She ran her hands slowly over his back, the skin already starting to heal from her passion displays.  
When Klaus moved to lay on his back and took her with him, she nested her head in his chest.

"Will I wake up to find you missing in the morning?" she quietly asked him.  
Klaus smiled and held her naked body close to his, a sheet covering them in bliss now.

"I will never leave you again sweetheart. I promise" he whispered with honesty.  
Caroline sighed in relief and fell asleep listening to the soothing sound of his heart and the rain.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Ready for love - _India. Arie_


	25. Phoenix

"_Bring the boxes in, careful with his stupid Art, bring the car around... dig the stupid grave..._"

Kol mumbled to himself "Bloody hell" he cursed and shoved the shovel deeper into the dirt mad that he was the one stuck doing the heavy work for Klaus again.

Caroline came closer to the grave and looked down on Kol cursing and mumbling, digging his way into the coffin.  
"Is everything ok?" she asked with a smile.

Kol straighten himself up and gave her a look "Sure, I'm digging a grave at 5am... alone. Everything is just peachy"  
Caroline giggled and shed some light into the hole he was making "You should go a little more to the left"

Kol pressed his lips furious "You are a vampire, why aren't you down here helping me with this? I'm getting tired of being used by Nik as a slave"  
Caroline gasped mockingly "How dare you good Sir? I'm a lady and a lady does not handle the heavy work"

Kol smiled mischievously "So now you are a lady?"  
Caroline returned his naughty smile "And I shall remain one"

Kol rolled his eyes and went back to his heavy work, Caroline smiled shaking her head.  
"Where is he anyway?" Kol asked happy that the dirt was finally starting to give in as it hit the area closer to the old coffin.

"He went to check on the rest of his pack, Finn killed the werewolves that were watching my house" she grimaced.  
Kol removed the dirt from the top of the wooden box with his foot and then pushed the shovel using it as leverage to open the coffin.

A rotten old dress covering a pile of bones appeared before their eyes.  
"Who's that?" Caroline quietly asked trying not to be too sick with the view.

"Emily Bennett" Klaus deep voice came near them.  
He stopped behind Caroline and looked down on the coffin.

"I haven't been totally honest with you love, when I lured Finn into Mystic Falls 150 years ago, he brought a weapon with him, something that could kill an Original. I had it buried with the witch after she locked Finn inside that tomb"

Caroline squint and gave him a look without moving entirely, remaining with her back turned on him "I thought a werewolf bite from an Original werewolf like Tyler was the only thing that was deadly to all of you"

"It is but apparently that can be cured with my blood, the werewolves found something else that we couldn't really fight against. The white oak tree that the witches used as energy when they turned my mother, the first vampire. We burned it to the ground but they had their hands on part of it before we got there to destroy it"

Caroline looked at Kol that bent down removing the stake from inside the coffin "What gives life, takes life" he said looking at the dirty weapon in his hand.

"So that little pointy thing is able to kill any of you?" she asked pulling a face.  
Klaus chuckled behind her and she had to hold back a shiver because he was so close to her.

They had been forced to cut short their first night together, Klaus was worried about Finn being on the loose.  
Klaus took the stake from Kol and smiled handing it to Caroline "Be careful with this one"

She met his eyes with a hint of a smile "This one can actually kill you"  
"Try not to drive it straight into my heart" he said smiling like the bastard he was and knowing he was messing with Caroline.

"I'll be gentle..." she whispered and couldn't help looking down on his lips, wishing they weren't cursed to always be running and trying to survive.  
Klaus shared her trail of thought and rested his eyes on her full lips, the ones that had been his just a few hours ago.

"Oh for Christ sake, get a room" Kol snapped loud.  
Caroline smiled and looked up to Klaus eyes, that sounded like the best idea in a very long time.

"By the way, I didn't know you guys were so religious... with all that God praising going on inside Nik's room" Kol said with a stinging smile.  
Klaus smiled "Him, you are allowed to kill"

Caroline chuckled and nodded "Ok..."

"Can any of you stop with the eye sex and help me out of here?" He interrupted their moment again.  
Klaus sighed deeply and moved from where he was so comfortable and took Kol's hand pulling him out of the deep grave.

"What's the plan now?" Caroline asked putting the stake away inside her bag.  
"Yana is rounding up the rest of the pack, we're going after Finn" Klaus was already on hybrid mood.

"What can I do?" Caroline asked determined.  
"You can go back to the house and wait there for us" Klaus said naturally.

Caroline laughed "Are you serious?"  
"Yes" Klaus squint.

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm going with you" she said and started walking, Klaus grabbed her arm as she went by him.  
"Completely out of the question" he said appalled.

Caroline folded her arms and gave him a look "Are you going to forbid me to go with you? Step into the 21st Century Klaus"

Kol watched the two of them staring at each other.  
Awesome time to leave.

"I'm going to... the car or better yet, I'll walk home"  
Neither of them acknowledged Kol and his departure.

"I will not take you with me Caroline" Klaus was stern in his determination.

She tilted her head "I am not going to stay home like a helpless little girl while you go chase your brother that could actually have another one these stakes with him"

"And I'm not going to let you tag along with me when you been murdered by him once already and this time around tortured and almost killed again" Klaus said closing the gap between them.

Caroline sighed having Klaus inches away from her face.  
He squint at her serious "One of us needs to step down right now"

She gave him her best smile "How much you want to bet it's not going to be me Niklaus?"  
He clasped his lips upset.

* * *

Katherine took a deep breath knocking on the big door, she heard his steps and shook her curls.

She looked down on the revealing shirt and fixed her cleavage showing a bit more of it.  
She could use all the help.

She gave him her best smile when Elijah opened the door, he simply stepped aside "Please do come in Katerina"  
She was a bit shaken by his flawless smile but didn't falter in her mission.

"I decided to come explain myself bef..." she didn't finish because Elijah flashed and pinned her to the ground.

She gulped down with his strong hand wrapped around her throat "Elijah..."  
His smile was still there but it was dark as he pondered how he would kill her.

"Why exactly have you come here so willing to walk into your death?" he asked her slowly.  
"I knew helping Rebekah was a risk but I always look after myself" she said serious.

Elijah looked down on her, taking all her beauty in, he seemed to falter and she was happy about it but then Elijah swiftly pulled her necklace out.  
She frowned because it was what granted her freedom to walk in the sun and the day was just beginning.

"What are you doing?" she asked when he stood up pulling her arm towards the big window in the living room.  
"I suggest you start talking fast Katerina" he simply said stopping by the window.

She tried to fight him when she realised his intentions and managed to at least shove his tight grip around her arm but she didn't go very far when she flashed to the door because Kol cut her way.

She tried to keep her posture having both brothers cornering her towards the bare window.  
"Well this is a fun walk down memory lane" Kol teased Katherine.

She pulled a flawless smile "Why don't you just kill me, if you are that upset that I helped your sister wake the sleeping brother?"  
"I already told you that I am leaving the honours to Elijah" he looked at his brother "You are going to end her life, right?"

Elijah simply stood there watching both in silence.  
Kol clenched his jaw mad, Katherine tried running for her life again but was shoved harshly against the window by him; she felt it shatter as she hit it hard.

Elijah gave Kol a stern look which made Kol angrier "I did not spend 1000 years deceiving Nik and looking for Caroline for you to throw all that away because of her now"

Elijah inclined his head that bit, thinking of what to tell Kol "I suppose you are mad at me because of what happened in the past but that does not give you the right to question how I will handle her"

Katherine moaned sitting straight, fixing her clothes smeared with blood from the broken glass "Before you both start fighting each other to see who gets the short straw to kill me, can anyone explain to me why you have looked for Caroline? And don't lie to me this time, consider it my last dying wish"

Kol narrowed his eyes watching Eljah's posture and he was furious that Elijah was considering telling her.  
"Caroline was with Niklaus back when they were both human" Elijah quietly spoke.

Kol shook his head in disapproval "You are pathetic" he said and left the house mad.  
Katherine stood up looking betrayed "You lied to me"

"Our relationship was everything but honest Katerina; you used my affections for you to make me turn you and then you walked away leaving me"  
She softly shook her head "I loved you Elijah but I loved my life and freedom a lot more and if Klaus knew my true purpose at the time, I would have been his prisoner for life, hostage until my human blood dried"

"I would have kept you safe" he said hurt, even after all these years it still pained him that she hadn't trust him enough.  
"You wouldn't have gone after Klaus, he is you brother and your love for him is unconditional and would never make you go against him" she said looking at him.

Elijah was suddenly serious "What are you hiding from me Katerina, I know you"  
"Better than anyone" she said with a smile.

Elijah flashed and she was again on the floor but this time she didn't fight him, she closed her eyes listening to the broken wooden piece from the window cutting through air as he used it to stake her, but she didn't feel the pain she expected in her chest.

She opened her eyes and found Elijah fighting himself to finish her off.  
"I never told you about any of this but you don't look so surprised" he said clutching the stake in his hands.

She looked into his eyes like she had done so many times in the past.  
Falling in love with Elijah had been the easiest thing she had ever done in her entire existence.

He was sweet and caring and ready to do anything to keep her safe, falling in love with him had been almost inevitable, due to their long talks, his vision and take on life and love.  
It had been alluring and irresistible and then everything just happened, she fell in love and gave herself to him.

It wasn't long until she convinced him to turn her, running away as soon as she finished her transition but her love for him had made her search for him through the years.  
She just never allowed herself to stay too long, she always left before it got impossible to leave him.

"What are you hiding from me Katerina?" he asked her serious.  
Katherine closed her eyes feeling the stake inches away from being buried inside her heart and the sun starting to sizzle on her skin.

"Your mother has linked all of you together. When she turned you all and your father started hunting all of you down, she made sure she protected her favourite son, Finn. If you kill Finn, you all die"

* * *

Kol switched the lights on the Grill upset and dropped the keys on the counter loudly, he moved around the counter for a much-needed drink.  
He was already on his second one when Bonnie peaked inside and then came in.

"What are you doing here? The bar is closed, breakfast is only 3 hours from now" he said annoyed.  
She sighed "Caroline called me, I'm supposed to meet her and Elena at your house but I saw the car outside and was curious to why you were here at this hour"

"I spent the night with a girl and just dropped her home" he said with a smile.  
Bonnie grimaced a bit "Ok, sorry I asked"

"I don't see Harry Potter, did you leave him in the car?" Kol asked trying to sound far less upset than he was.  
Bonnie smiled listening to all the jealousy in his voice "Unlike you, I spent my night alone"

Kol looked at his drink and then at Bonnie "You haven't settled things then? I thought so, since you insisted on making me compel his father so you could... take care of HP"

She laughed and folded her arms, standing in the middle of the bar "And by that you immediately started thinking I was sleeping with him. Ok, no matter how old guys are, you all think the same. You are all just jerks"

Kol wanted to stay unaffected as she turned around but he bloody wasn't.  
"I'm happy you are healing fast" he said closing his eyes, not exactly what he wanted to say but he wasn't going to apologize to her.

She turned around facing him, they looked at each other in silence, she knew this was the closest she was getting to Kol, though it didn't even matter, they were just pretending to be a couple anyway and now not even that, because she had told Luka everything.  
"Yeah... thanks for the blood" she gave in smiling.

Kol smiled back and she found it to be honest this time "I'll make coffee"  
She chuckled "Are you buying breakfast?"

"I have... pie" he said looking at the rest of the pie inside the fridge.  
"I'll have it" she sighed and went to sit by one of the tables.

Kol made the coffee and sneaked looks in her direction, she was on her cell and he fought the urge to ask if she was in touch with the idiotic kid that obviously meant a lot to her.

Finally he came around with the food and coffee and she smiled at him, happily.  
He loved that in her, Bonnie had a breathtaking smile.

* * *

Caroline stepped inside her house feeling her heart ache inside her, the house was a mess, filled with blood and so many things destroyed, she silently closed her front door and picked a few chairs up, trying to somehow clean the mess.

She fought stinging tears because she could recall everything that went down so vividly, what happened inside her home had been hell and she had a hard time dealing with it now.

She made her way to her room and was shaking when she pushed the door open, she stopped.  
He was here, waiting for her.

"I was wondering when you would return home" he quietly said standing by her window without facing her.  
Caroline took a step forward "I'm sorry if I have kept you waiting"

Finn smiled darkly and turned slowly to meet her "We had so much fun in here... what took you so long to come see how the house was?"  
She flashed a perfect taunting smile "I was busy making love to your brother"

Finn switched his neck in a nervous tic "So Niklaus is in town?"  
She smiled even more now, poking him enough with her happiness "He is and he gave me the best night of my life"

That was enough to make Finn flash to her, her back stinging when he pushed her hard against the wall but she kept it together.  
She didn't fight his grip on her throat, she faced him fearlessly instead.

"So I see that you both finally gave into each other. So is it ok if I call you his whore now?" Finn hissed furious.  
She smiled "For now you can call me bait"

Finn squint and then felt the air leave his lungs as Caroline swiftly pushed a dagger into his stomach, she clasped her lips using the little space between them to fully bury it deep.

He choked and bent down, she quickly flashed away from his reach and into Klaus that came inside the room.  
Finn widened his eyes as he turned and saw Klaus there, he wasn't able to talk, he just watched the way his brother placed Caroline behind his back protecting her.

They had tricked him and he was pissed about it.  
He tried to remove the dagger but Klaus clutched a stake in his hand mad.

He was breathing hard and didn't even speak as he launched himself at his brother set on killing him.  
Finn yelled as Klaus buried the Oak stake near his heart.

Caroline had her fingers nervously clasping her lip watching everything go down and waited for Klaus to finish Finn but strangely Klaus stopped.  
She frowned "Nik?"

Klaus stagger and sat on the ground releasing his brother, he touched his chest and his hand became red with blood, he looked at Caroline breathing harshly and feeling weak.

"Nilklaus..." she gasped and flashed to him, she nested his head on her lap as he fell backwards, she was confused and shaking, his blue shirt was covered in blood and it seemed to bleed more by the second.

She looked at Finn that slowly sat up, he removed the dagger from his stomach and then smiled at her; he pushed the stake a little, suppressing a scream.

Klaus couldn't hold his and Caroline felt her tears fall, realising what was happening.  
"You can dagger me all you want but when you try to kill me, he goes as well" he said with hatred and moved his hand to the side, bringing the stake closer to the heart again, this time Klaus didn't scream, he lost consciousness because he was losing blood too fast.

"No... Stop it, please stop" Caroline begged Finn.  
The older brother was weak as well and gave her a wicked smile "I will need blood"

She squint between her tears.

He licked his lips "Come here child and give me your blood"  
Caroline gasped and shook her head "No..." she whispered.

Finn was upset and moved that stake, he yelled loud as it touched his heart, threatening to rip it apart any second now.  
"NOOOOO. Stop, you are killing him" she yelled desperate, feeling Klaus life fading in her arms.

Finn panted "His heart is a little less resistant than mine so I suggest you hurry"  
Caroline looked down on her lap, Klaus was dying and she stroked his face gently.

She looked at Finn and closed her eyes nodding.

* * *

"Kol? KOL?" Bonnie was using all the towels she could find to try to stop the massive bleeding in his chest.  
"Oh God..." she couldn't understand what was happening.

She tried calling for him again but he was unconscious, having dropped to the ground and bleeding from a chest wound.  
She cupped his cheek and closed her eyes; she began a spell to try to stop the bleeding or at least slow it down.

* * *

Matt was having the same problem with Rebekah back at his house, the girl just slumped on the couch and started bleeding fast and in huge amounts, she managed to mumble that he should call her brothers before she passed out.

He desperately tried all the numbers in her cell but no one picked up.  
There was something going on and it was huge.

* * *

Finn sucked the blood in Caroline's wrist harshly, he wasn't being gentle at all about this and she bit her lip in pain when he sank his fangs harder into it, he was going to sever her hand if he kept going like this.

He smiled feeling refreshed and slowed down, it felt a thousand times worse for Caroline; she could bear the pain, not the disgusting lust behind his ways.

Finn licked her precious skin under his fangs and lips and Caroline jerked her hand away repulsed.  
He looked up at her and she gave him a furious look.

"I guess that was enough... for now" he said and pulled the stake out.  
It began healing almost instantly because of Caroline's blood in his system.

Finn stood up and looked at the couple in down on him "I'll see you home... I'm sure there are rooms still available for the older brother. It will be fun sharing a house with everyone" he dropped the stake on the floor and smiled "You can keep that. I know you won't be killing me any time soon... no matter what I do"

Caroline never thought it was possible to hate someone so much like she hated Finn now.  
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath; they would deal with him later, now she was worried about Klaus.

She looked at him and stroked his perfect cheek until he slowly opened his eyes.  
Caroline couldn't hold the tears back, he moved his shirt, the open buttons showing his chest, there was no visible mark now but it had been a close call.

* * *

Elena knocked on the wide open front door and looked around for any signs of life "Hello?"  
There was no answer but then she heard a strange sound, a moan.

She walked further into the living room and saw Elijah clutching his chest, his smooth shirt covered in blood.  
"Elijah..." she called and ran to him, she knelt in front of him "Are you ok? What happened?"

"I think Niklaus tried to kill Finn but wasn't successful..." he said and used her help to stand up.  
"Are you sure you can stand? Do you need... blood?" she asked slowly.

Elijah smiled "Lovely Elena... you are far too noble and good for your own safety"  
She smiled "Are you sure? I trust you" she said warmly.

Elijah had to look at her twice, where had he seen and heard this before? Oh right, the selfish bitch that had left him bleeding on the ground.  
"I'm fine Elena, I'm already healing. But thank you for the kind offer" he said and opened his shirt to check on his wound.

Elena felt compelled, it must have been like this when Caroline compelled her because she couldn't take her eyes away from his chest and she knew it was rude but frigging Elijah Mikaelson was unbuttoning his shirt in front of her and she was mesmerized by the view.

* * *

"Let me see it Kol" Bonnie demanded.  
"I'm fine" he snapped already getting away from her.

She crossed her arms mad at him "Take of your shirt and let me see if it's really healed Kol"  
He frowned at her demanding tone "I said I'm fine"

"You had an open chest wound gushing blood out fast" she said and moved closer to him.

"What are you doing?" he squealed when she took hold of the rim of his shirt pushing it over his head before he had time to react decently "Boundaries darling" he snapped.  
She rolled her eyes and checked his chest "Yeah, you'll live" she said cleaning his chest from all the blood with a towel.

"That's what I was trying to tell you" he said but without the snapping tone, he was talking slowly and low now.  
Bonnie cleaned the blood without meeting his eyes; she was becoming very self-conscious of her impulsive action.

Now she had her hands on Kol's naked firm, amazing chest and she was enjoying the proximity a little too much.  
She slowly met his eyes "All cleaned..." she whispered still rubbing the towel without any reason.

There was a staring moment between them, going from their eyes, to their lips and when their gaze met again, he moved, grabbing her face and kissing her.  
She dropped the towel and tugged at his hair, kissing him back and pressing herself to him.

Kol kissed her deeply and with passion.  
He moved his hands down her back and picked her up, she laced her legs around his waist and pulled his hair getting lost in the kiss.

He sat her down on one of the pool tables and quickly her shirt came off.  
She moved her hands over his smooth back and gasped completely lost in him when he unclasped her bra.

"Kol..." she moaned loudly when his lips came down her neck and his hands started discovering her body.

* * *

Caroline came inside her room with a clean buttoned shirt, she handed it to Klaus.  
"It was my dad's... he left it behind..." she sighed.

He fixed the collar and before starting to button it up he looked at her noticing how she was still shaken, he pulled Caroline into his arms.  
She closed her eyes and hid in his chest, his embrace.

"Well that was a stupid plan..." he mumbled.  
"We didn't know he was linked to you" she said against his chest.

"I need to find a way to break this spell so I can take my revenge on Finn" he pressed his lips.  
Caroline loved that he was holding her so close to him, so strong, it made her feel safe.

"We'll find a way... let's just... go home now" she said pulling away from him.  
Klaus squint cupping her chin.

"I went through too much inside this house, inside that bathroom is a bathtub filled with water, vervain and blood. I almost died here, you almost died tonight. My mother is gone and I have done nothing but cry inside this house"  
"What do you want to do?" he asked her quietly.

"Go to the only place I have ever been happy. If you take me" she said with a smile.  
"And this house?" he asked ignoring her silly remark.

She sighed realising his ways and leaned over so she could kiss him.  
Klaus took hold of the kiss, his hand on her cheek and his tongue sweetly invading her mouth.

She kissed him more certain than ever, this was what she wanted.  
She wanted Klaus.

* * *

Caroline stood outside watching her house burn, the house of pain was burning to the ground and she took a deep breath turning to face Klaus that was waiting for her.  
He reached out his hand to her and she smiled taking it, she walked with him knowing her full life was ahead of her, a new life with him.

Whatever outcome came from all this, whatever obstacle or enemy they had to face, they would do it together now and they would deal with it as a couple.  
She leaned over his shoulder loving that he held her close to him, maybe it was time she had a go at this happy thing even if she was about to share a house with Finn and the rest of the Originals.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Titanium - _David Guetta _

All my life – _Foo Fighters_


	26. Another one bites the dust

Caroline and Klaus rushed inside the house and into the living room, Elena was sitting with Elijah and they both stood up in a jolt.  
"Are you all right?" Elijah asked worried about his brother.

"Yes, things didn't quite go as planned... did you feel anything?" Klaus asked noticing the stain in Elijah's shirt.  
"Katerina said that we are all connected" he simply said.

"How did she know that?" Caroline asked next to Klaus.  
Elijah's sigh was loud "She has been hiding a lot from us... she got away when I collapsed and I wasn't able to ask her any more piercing questions"

"I need to kill that doppelganger" Klaus said annoyed and looked at Caroline.  
She smiled at him and fought the urge to sneak into his amazing protective embrace, Elena was here and she needed to talk to her before any public displays of affection between her and the hybrid.

"Have you talked to Rebekah?" Klaus asked quickly.  
"She's safe at Matt's, gave him a huge scare but now she's recovering" Elijah informed in his usual calm ways.

"Where's Kol?" Caroline asked realising they were still short of one Original.  
"Him, I couldn't reach because he didn't answer my calls or returned them" Elijah frowned.

"You think something happened to him?" Elena quietly asked not really sure if she should join the conversation.  
"Maybe we should check on him... wait... Bonnie hasn't arrived either? I talked to her like two hours ago" Caroline said and then smiled; she shared a look with Klaus.

It didn't go unnoticed the complicity between them and Elena watched it all silently.  
The front door opened and Kol rushed in with Bonnie closely behind him.

Caroline and Klaus gave them a perfect synchronized look.  
"Are you guys ok?" Bonnie asked worried.

Caroline gave her a teasing smile "Sure... and you two?"  
"We're fine, everything is fine and you know... just fine" Kol quickly said going for a drink.

Klaus clasped his fingers serious "So you both had time to go to mass then?"  
Kol gave his brother a stabbing look, Klaus simply shrugged it off with a smile.

Bonnie joined Elena looking down on the ground avoiding any kind of judging looks.  
Caroline was amused and giggled behind Klaus at Kol that poured a generous drink for him.

"Why did you call us Caroline? Did you know that this would happen?" Elena asked confused.  
"No and... yes... we need to talk" Caroline said pulling her eyebrows together, this would be a very long talk.

* * *

Kol and Elijah sat on the library couch while Klaus stood there watching them both with his arms folded.  
Kol was the first to break the heavy silence "Are you going to dagger us or just stand there and judge us for all eternity?"

They could hear Klaus breathing hard from where they sat and Kol looked at Elijah, encouraging him to smooth their incoming destiny.  
"We did it to help you brother" Elijah calmly said.

"Not we... you. I just helped search for Caroline" Kol swiftly tried to shift blame to Elijah.  
His older brother gave him a disapproval look.

"You both..." Klaus said making sure they knew how he considered both guilty "... cast a spell on me, to make me forget about Caroline, made up a part in this damn prophecy so that you could clear your mistakes and convinced Rebekah to drag me back into this town where I almost killed the woman you spent 1000 years looking for" he said upset.

"Accurate" Kol said with a smile.  
Klaus looked away annoyed, clutching his jaw in anger "I asked her to kill me in Chicago, had she succeeded and carried on remembering about our past, it would have destroyed her"

"Well... we could always try to cast a spell on her to forget about you" Kol easily said.  
Both his brothers looked at him and he leaned back on the couch "Too soon for that one"

Elijah shook his head appalled at Kol.  
"I know I wasn't right, that I should have let you mourn Caroline's death properly and in your own way and time but I can't be truly sorry about what I did because I did it out of love for my brother" he said facing Klaus now.

Klaus faced his older brother without all that anger, just pain in his expression and voice "I spent all these years without feeling anything, I didn't remember her but she never left me, I missed something, something that was with me every day... I just didn't know it was her"

"Not a day has gone by that I didn't think about that night the witches cursed you but you don't know what it's like to watch a brother bury himself in blood just to silence the pain" Elijah said standing up.

"We are vampires, blood is what drives us" Klaus said wanting to shield himself from that humanity he wasn't ready to share with anyone else but Caroline.  
"Maybe but we are different, we should be different" Elijah pressed on coming closer to Klaus.

"The only thing that sets us apart from the other monsters is that we are stronger and impossible to kill" Klaus simply said.  
"You are not going to kill us then?" Kol asked standing up as well.

"I have more important things to worry about now" Klaus said and left the library, he still wasn't happy with neither of them but they weren't entirely useless, they did find Caroline.

* * *

Caroline looked at her two friends waiting for some sort of reaction to what they had heard.  
She knew it was a lot of information to take in and understand.

Elena opened her mouth a few times but kept clasping her lips and frowning, going silent afterwards.  
"You are the reincarnation of the woman who was with human Klaus and you remember it?" Bonnie asked giving words to Elena's stunned attempts to speech.

"Yes" Caroline said from across them, she was sitting at the table and taking her time with the details, she was fully aware this could be a bit overwhelming.  
"And he remembers it as well?" Bonnie asked again.

"He does now, we both remember everything and we're... together" Caroline said carefully.  
Elena frowned harder instead of speaking words that would come out confused.

"The... curse is gone then?" Bonnie was the only one able to ask questions now.  
"Yes but we have another huge problem called Finn. He's on the loose and he will be a major threat to everyone. We need to find a way to break the spell their mother cast on them" Caroline said smiling at her two friends "Are you guys ok? You seem a little... away"

Elena laughed nervously "I could blame the privileged sighting of Elijah's chest..."  
Her friends looked at her and she just shrugged "I wasn't expecting all that under the suit"

Caroline and Bonnie laughed at her absent look and the three of them shared an easy moment.  
"How about you Miss Bennett? Why were you so late?" Caroline teased her friend.

Bonnie fixed her long hair "I was with Kol, one minute he was bleeding and I was cleaning his chest and... the next I was... in a very happy place" she blushed.  
Caroline and Elena laughed at her blushing fit.

She just shook her head "This is insane... two months ago we were fighting werewolves and coming up with secret plans and now you are one-half of an epic love story and you are drooling over chests and I just had hot wild spontaneous sex in a bar"  
"It could be worse..." Elena said smiling.

Caroline smiled but it didn't linger on her lips this time, she became serious and looked at Bonnie "Bon... I need you to find a way to break this spell. Daggering Finn didn't affect any of them but when Nik pushed that stake into his chest..."

Her friend knew her too well to know how much this meant to her "If it's a binding spell it can be broken but I need to do a little research" she leaned over and took Caroline's hand into hers "Don't worry Care, we'll find a way out of this"

She sighed and was happy when Elena took her other hand, sometimes she was really ungrateful, all the times she had complained about not having anyone and yet she had the best friends one could ask for.  
They were together from the beginning and they would be together till the end.

* * *

Damon finished his drink and dropped the glass harshly on the table, he was still pissed that Rebekah and Katherine had gone past him to Finn's body.

"So you were knocked out by two girls... even more interesting that you have slept with both" Stefan said with a smile.  
Damon wasn't amused that he was being teased on top of everything.

"I should have seen it coming when Rebekah showed up at my door like that" he said mostly to himself.  
Stefan smiled and poured Damon another drink "Just admit that you still love her Damon"

Damon scolded his words "I have no feelings left for neither except a huge will to drive a sharp stake into their cold hearts"  
"Before or after you have sex with them?" Stefan spiked him again.

"You should stop spending so much time with your boyfriend Klaus, you are picking up on his bad comedy skills" Damon said and took his drink.  
"I know you better than you think and I know that no matter how long you live or how much you distract yourself with other girls, there's only woman who you will love forever" Stefan said resting his elbows on the table.

"Our mother?" Damon smiled.  
Stefan laughed "Good one but your amazing comedy skills can't help you. The blonde Original with the freckles owns you and sooner or later you will get back to her and she will make you pay for cheating on her"

"One would think that someone as old as Bex would learn to forgive..." Damon said looking down on his glass.  
"You slept with Katherine and then left when Rebekah found out and confronted you with it" Stefan raised his hand in the air.

"I admit sometimes I do these things that aren't that smart..." Damon sulked in his seat.  
Stefan smiled "You really have no idea why she's still so mad at you..."

Damon looked at his brother "Because she walked in on me and the evil selfish bitch moaning in our bed?"  
Stefan sighed deeply "Because you left without properly apologizing and you never came back"

"Shut up Stefan, I'm the oldest brother, you will not lecture me about my romantic life" Damon snapped.  
"How mature of you" Stefan said laughing and taking his drink.

* * *

Klaus came back into the leaving room carrying a heavy black book, he found the three friends smiling and wasn't sure how much Caroline had told them but the way they were staring at him made him uncomfortable.

"Hey..." Caroline said and smiled at him and he realised she was at ease, probably because she had come forward with her friends.  
"I have this for Bonnie" he said and handed the witch the book in his hand.

Bonnie looked at him confused, even more when she saw the initials **EB **on the bottom corner of it.  
"This is a Grimoire" she said opening the ancient but preserved book.

"It belonged to Emily... I kept it after I killed her" he easily said.  
Bonnie gasped and then averted her eyes from Klaus; this was going to be interesting, dealing on a regular basis with a murderer.

"Why is it black?" Elena asked trying not to think of the fact that Caroline was Klaus immortal love, the same man who killed without asking questions.  
"It's a black arts Grimoire; I believe you have the other one with you?" He asked Bonnie.

"I do... I had no idea Emily was into black magic" she said looking at Klaus.  
"Your family comes from the very powerful witches of Salem Bonnie, its normal that she was also in touch with her black magic, even if she didn't use it much" Klaus said easily, he really had no problem with the fact that he had killed the ancestor of this girl.

Bonnie was already indulging in the book, it was like finding out so many things she never had answers for before.  
"I need you to something for me Bonnie, for Caroline" he said mischievously knowing that using Caroline's name would get Bonnie to work easier for him.

But Bonnie wasn't stupid and gave him a look "I do things for me Klaus, not for others, my magic is not to be used as a tool but as help so whatever you want to ask me, ask. But don't use my friend or deceive me cos I'm pretty sure I can find a spell in here to make your flesh sever from your bones"

Klaus smiled highly impressed "I like your friend" he told Caroline.  
His blonde goddess smiled happy.

* * *

Alaric was struggling with himself; finally he stepped outside his SUV and walked to the majestic front door, he knocked not knowing what to expect.  
He was greeted by the Mikaelson's young Kol who eyed him surprised "Can I help?"

Alaric cleared his throat "Is Caroline here? I've been trying to reach her"  
"I don't think so..." Kol said without moving.

"Can I talk to her?" Alaric asked serious.  
Kol didn't move an inch.

"Caroline?" Alaric tried to go through Kol and yelled inside the house.  
Kol easily stopped him with his hand to his chest "Not so fast human waste"

Alaric clenched his jaw mad "I need to talk to her"  
"Suddenly remembering she is your daughter?" Klaus joined his brother at the door.

Alaric became slightly more nervous, one Original and he might crawl away with broken arms and legs, two... they would carry him out in a body bag.  
"I went by her house and it burned to the ground, she's not returning my calls, I'm just worried" he said trying to come off as strong.

Klaus chuckled and moved past Kol, stepping outside the house "Not to worry, she's safe now"  
The simple words of Klaus weren't enough to sooth Alaric "I just need to see her, that's all"

"We've been looking out for her way before you came into this town set on watching over her and she died on your watch so I'm a little septic here" Kol said and took a step closer to them.

Alaric was mad, rage was building "She's my daughter and Elijah compelled me into giving her up. I have rights..."  
Klaus squint "Rights? She's been through so much and you stood by without doing anything so no, you lost any right you had to even call her your daughter"

"Why are you both being so protective of her? Especially you" Alaric wasn't afraid of letting Klaus know how much he knew about the curse.  
"Leave" Klaus had enough of this pathetic excuse of a father.

Alaric knew he wasn't going far with this so he walked away but he wasn't happy.

* * *

Matt gave Rebekah a smile "Are you sure you don't need blood? You are a little pale..."  
Rebekah smiled from where she was, leaning against the window "I'm all right Matt, I won't start feeding on you"

"I'd like that" he said easily smiling.  
But Rebekah wasn't smiling much; she was living with guilt, knowing how wrong she had been and how hard it would be for Klaus to forgive her.

There was a soft knock on his door and Matt slowly went to the door, he smiled when he saw who was there.  
She smiled at him and he stepped aside so she could come inside the house.

Rebekah tensed when she saw the other blonde.  
"Can we talk?" Caroline asked her with a warm smile.

* * *

Bonnie finished her part of the circle around the huge property and watched as Kol was finishing his end completing the salt circle.  
She couldn't help to look at his ass or his back that was peeking from under the raised shirt as he dropped the last salt inside his bag.

She smiled, wild, crazy; impulsive or whatever they would call it, the hour she spent with Kol earlier was definitely staying with her.  
It had been the best hour of her life and she genuinely knew she would be remembering it for a very long time.

"All done. Are you sure this will work?" he asked facing her.  
Bonnie only nodded.

Kol smiled at her, things had been kind of crazy since he was forced to dig a grave at 5am but they had been nothing short but incredible with Bonnie.  
"It works a little like the normal inviting a vampire into your home thing, only that with this spell the only one's coming through the circle are the ones Klaus invites inside" she answered but broke eye contact.

It was hard focusing, the memory of his hazel eyes so intensely looking at her while they made love was distracting.  
"I need to go home" she quickly said.

"I'll go with you" he answered equally fast.  
She looked at him surprised and caught an honest smile on his lips.

"My psycho brother is out there and he knows by now who is on our side and he will lash out when he finds out we are keeping him away" Kol said and already searched for his keys inside his pocket.

Bonnie smiled and followed him; spending time with Kol was really no sacrifice at all.

* * *

"I didn't remember who you were until after I woke Finn up and he left Damon's. I started remembering it all after I was alone, so I went into panic and came here" Rebekah said.

She was still standing and Caroline was in front of her looking all forgiving and warm.  
Rebekah hated that she was always so full of life and joy, it made her angry.

"I know that you didn't like me back when I was human" Caroline said naturally.  
She was used to it, she was with Klaus and he was Rebekah's favourite brother ever since she was a baby, it was normal that she would feel threaten by Caroline.

"I still don't like you" Rebekah said clasping her lips annoyed.  
Caroline smiled "I know but we didn't get off all that bad in this reincarnation of mine, maybe that's a sign"

Rebekah looked away "I feel deceived and it's hard to look at you now with all that I remembered"  
There was a long sigh from Caroline "I love him Rebekah"

Rebekah looked at her "You remembered it? Had a dream about it?" she said with that sting she was feeling and keen on handing it back to Caroline.  
But Caroline's smile was full of love "I love him now Rebekah, as much as I loved him then and I know that you love him as well. We don't have to fight over him and his love because he loves us both"

Rebekah chuckled bitterly "My brother knows nothing about love"  
Caroline shook her head "You just mad because you are afraid of losing him but I'm not stealing him away from you"

"I will never accept you Caroline" she said sounding just like a little brat.  
Caroline laughed and turned around to leave "That's too bad because I'm not going anywhere and I'm not leaving Nik"

Rebekah pressed her lips mad watching the annoying blonde leave.

* * *

Elena smiled at Elijah as they reached her house "Thank you for walking me home"  
"It was my pleasure Elena" he answered in his usual way.

Elena couldn't help to feel smitten by it; he was too much of a perfect gentleman to stay indifferent to him.  
"Bonnie's going to do this, she's really good with her magic" she said eager to keep the conversation going, she didn't want it to end because that meant he would leave.

"She's a very powerful witch so I've heard" he said easily carrying on with the conversation, he enjoyed Elena.  
She was intelligent, polite, had a beautiful smile and there was a sweetness to her that he loved because it was pure, untainted, so much different from the other look-alike that enjoyed playing games with his heart.

"She is and she will find a way to break this spell Elijah, soon you will all be free" she said and he believed her.  
"You are a very good person Elena, I fear for you" he grimaced.

She frowned "Why?"  
"Because that usually gets people killed" he said.

Elena wasn't expecting his concern and it strangely warmed her heart "I've been dodging that fate for a very long time, I think I'm getting the hang of it by now"  
Elijah smiled "I'd like to help prolong those odds"

"I'd love if you helped me" she said and smiled looking away from him.  
She frowned because only now she realised her front door was open and she moved.

The closest she got to the porch the more her heart clenched inside her chest, a blur passed through her and she realised it was Elijah that stopped on her doorstep looking inside.

She ran when she realised he was seeing something and that tight inside her chest turned into fear.  
Elijah felt her behind him and easily grabbed her arms "It's better if you don't go inside"

Elena was consumed with panic "What happened?"  
Elijah tried to look for the right words, no matter what he said it would wound her though.

"Elijah?" Elena called and felt the agonizing tears arrive.  
"It's your aunt Jenna..." he said and held Elena that tried to break away from him and go inside.

"Let go of me Elijah, please..." she broke down and cried.  
"She's dead Elena" he simply said.

The words she feared came from him and she fought to get away from him and inside the house but Elijah was stronger and prevented her to go and see the macabre image of Jenna with a knife stuck in her belly.

He had seen too many deaths to know she had bled out in a matter of minutes.  
"Jeremy... Jeremy was in there" she suddenly remembered and tried to fight him again.

"I can't hear any heart beats from here Elena" he quietly said.  
She sobbed in his arms, desperate but she didn't fight him any longer, she didn't want to go inside and find out her brother was dead as well.

"Elena..." Elijah called softly and she looked at him crying.  
He smiled and nodded behind her; she slowly turned and saw Jeremy walking slowly on the other side of the street, his hood over his head as usual lost in his own world.

She gasped and ran to him, she ran fast and he stopped surprised, she flung herself in his arms and hugged him tight.  
"What's with you?" he quickly asked.

She didn't say anything, she just held him for now because she knew how hard it would be to tell him what happened later.

* * *

Bonnie stopped before her door and smiled at Kol "Here we are; thank you for the ride"  
"It was my pleasure darling" he said returning the warm but somewhat awkward smile.

The ride had been nice but filled with tension, he was having a hard time getting all these sounds of pleasure Bonnie made earlier at the Grill caused by him out of his mind.

She smiled and played with her key "Ok... so I'll work on the spell. I still need one or two things but I should be able to get them tomorrow in town"  
"That's good and I should go, because I have to check on the Pub" he said but he wasn't moving.

"So bye... I'll see you tomorrow" she said clasping her hands.  
"Yes..." he said and ordered his brain to move his legs.

But instead of leaving towards his car, he moved towards her, Kol cupped her cheek and took her mouth into his.  
She answered his kiss that she had longed for and stroked his neck and hair.

Kol tilted her head just that bit so he could kiss her deeper and she loved it.

* * *

Caroline parked her car outside the club, she walked past the usual long line and smiled at the bouncer, he nodded at her and lifted the rope "Welcome Miss Forbes"

She looked at him, how did he know?  
"Mr Mikaelson is the new owner of **Cave **and he left instructions that you were meeting him here" the man said with a hint of a smile, it looked strange on the man because he was so big and broad that the smile seemed to vanish among his strong features.

Caroline made her way into the extra packed club and recognized a few of the faces she had seen pledging themselves to Klaus when she was last here.  
They all nodded at her as she walked by them, it was still something powerful to know all these men were under Klaus control and orders.

She saw him by the edge of the bar, having a drink quietly, unaffected to everything around him.  
He wasn't even noticing the girls there eager to jump him and staring at him in hope that he would glance at them.

But Klaus smiled and just like that, he turned his head and met her eyes, Caroline gulped down caught up in the intensity of the moment and his powerful stare and how he always seemed to sense her presence.

Klaus slowly got up and walked to her, the club was full but as they walked to each other, everyone became unimportant, everything that always surrounded them was irrelevant now.

They met in the middle of the dance floor and Klaus cupped her cheek bending down to meet her lips.  
They kissed each other in the middle of the dance floor among all the dancing people, flashing lights that interrupted the dark that covered the Club.

The kiss was intense and long surrounded by sweat, heat and passion that oozed from everyone around them.  
Instead of bothering them it seemed to instigate them even more and though Caroline knew most of these kids were from packs of werewolves under his command, she still felt their hearts pound in her ears, their blood rush in their hot veins and she was about to lose it.

She felt hot and she felt a craving she couldn't explain, maybe because it was irrational how much she wanted Klaus right now or because all this was exciting and new.

She wasn't the helpless victim any more, she wasn't the kid everyone pushed around and tried to kill.  
No, she was his companion and werewolves didn't scare her any more, they were sired to Klaus and they would die protecting her if needed.

She felt Klaus hands bringing her closer to him, she answered his sweet tongue inside her mouth and pulled his hair lost in all of it.  
The Rihanna song ended and so did their kiss, she smiled and met his eyes, Caroline pressed herself to him and whispered against his ear making him shiver with lust "I need you Niklaus"

Klaus led her out of the dance floor and they entered the private VIP area where his office was, his shirt was on the floor before she closed the door with her foot.

Her shirt easily followed his and she happily glued her lips to his, Klaus didn't waste too much time removing the rest of the insulting clothes because he wanted her with an urgency that was unknown to him.

Caroline gasped when he searched her neck and closed her eyes for a second; he was everything she ever wanted.  
Klaus smiled when she pushed him harshly against the wall, it was his turn to gasp because her lips found his neck in return and then his naked chest, her fingers entangled in his necklaces.

His fingers in return were lost in her blonde hair and she got rid of the offensive belt, she wanted him naked, he smiled when she faced him, her cold necklace against his chest felt like he figured destiny would feel and he ran his thumb over her full sinful lips.

They stared at each other while she without further delay opened his jeans.  
Her lips found his again and before deepening the kiss, he picked her up and sat her on the desk, everything there ended on the floor; he needed space for the exquisite creature in his arms.

Caroline threw her head back, pulling his hair when his lips tortured her by kissing her naked skin as his hands swiftly removed her underwear.  
She bit her lip in pleasure.

Klaus was a king among men and she was his, nothing in the world could ever compare to the bliss that brought, well maybe their second, slower round on the couch was a very close call.

* * *

Tyler looked above his wheel; the house was old, it looked abandoned.  
He checked his cell again and this was the right address.

He stepped outside not sure about this but he had come all this way anyway.  
The door was easily opened and he came inside to a place filled with spider webs, dust and a foul smell.

He had to cover his nose, he stepped over a few bones on the floor, people had been killed in here and their bodies left to rot.  
He pressed his shirt closer to his nose as the smell intensified and had to look away when he found a few corpses still with flesh on them.

The image was hard to take in and he suddenly remembered why he hated shows like CSI or ER.  
But it was worth it because he found him.

The desiccated body was sitting on a chair, waiting to be awaken and Tyler smiled because Katherine hadn't lied to him.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Where have you been - _Rhianna_


	27. Revenge

Caroline closed her eyes listening to the soothing sound of his heart, how amazing it was to be allowed to listen to it.

He stroked her arm lazily in love with the way her naked body felt against his, she was nested against his chest, resting on her side, her fingers stroked his skin setting it on pure fire and as they lay there on the couch, he found the moment to be perfect.

Caroline was perfect and he wanted to stay in here forever with her, just like this, lying together on a small couch after making love.  
He snuggled her closer to him, his strong arm warming her back as it was laced around her.

"I wish we could stay here forever" she whispered against his chest, her fingers making idle circles on it.  
Klaus moved his head a little so he could look into her eyes, they were so melted together that he didn't have to move much, he stroked her chin and smiled because she was smiling.

"Can you read minds now sweetheart as well?" he asked her in a low voice.  
She smiled even more "Judging by the way you make me feel, I think you are the expert in that..."

Klaus cupped her cheek and kissed her, slow and perfect.  
Caroline was on cloud number nine, nineteen and above, she was with Klaus, the man she loved, her destiny.

He smiled nudging her nose slightly when they broke their kiss.  
"But we have to go back... Finn is out there and the devil only knows what he's up to..." Klaus moved back to how he was before, staring at the ceiling  
"He's probably looking for Mikael"

Caroline looked at him hating the way he looked concerned and serious, she trailed his chin covered in the subtle scruff and smiled remembering how she loved the way it scratched her skin when they made love.

"Then when he comes for us, we will be ready for him" she said in a low but confident voice.  
Klaus smiled and faced her, his hand on her face and they joined lips and tongues again, she teased him with her tongue, nudged his, ran it over his amazing lips and answered him when he made the kiss deep and avid.

* * *

"Jeremy? Say something..." Elena said fighting hard to hold back her tears.

Her brother was silent; he was sitting on the front porch watching the coroner carry his aunt away in a body bag.  
He was numb but not from drugs, he was in shock, she was the last family he had and now she was dead, he didn't have anyone else.

Elena was desperate, she couldn't reach Jeremy and she knew he needed it.  
She tried calling Alaric again but the teacher didn't answer her calls and she was seriously worried about him.

The new Sheriff came outside her house with Elijah, the Original nodded at the young man and this one left after smiling warmly at Elena.  
She could tell he had no experience in this whatsoever, she went to Elijah.

"You think her death was supernatural?" she asked Elijah.  
He was surprised that she was thinking so clearly on a time like this "You should rest now and take care of your brother Elena"

She snapped at Elijah getting inside the house so that Jeremy wouldn't listen to her "What do you suggest Elijah? That I go make tea or maybe I should go listen to depressing music and cry on my bathroom floor"  
"Whatever would make you feel better Elena" he simply said.

She shook her head "What I need is to find out who did this" she snapped loudly.  
Elijah nodded "Very well... it was done with a knife, it was most likely a fight and she was stabbed by accident"

Elena took a deep breath "So it was a fight. Ok... it could be someone human..."  
"Yes" he just said and looked at Jeremy that came inside the house.

The young Gilbert went upstairs, ignoring them.  
Elena just looked at him going up to his room feeling useless.

* * *

Caroline rested her cell against her chin after talking to Elena, it all still felt so surreal to her, another one of them was dead and Alaric was missing.

She looked outside the car window and tried to understand if she was sad, worried or simply unaffected by his disappearance.  
She smiled when she felt Klaus hand on hers, she didn't look at him and she just entangled her fingers with his happy that he was here with her.

Klaus was speeding back to Mystic Falls after another perfect night between them and now none of them knew what to expect.  
Just that they had Finn, Katherine, Tyler and God knows who else against them.

* * *

Tyler wasn't sure if this would work but he brought the blood bags from his car and started a fresh blood tab on the man, he took his cell and called Katherine.  
_  
"Did you find him?"  
_"I'm looking at him right now" Tyler said pulling a disgusted face while watching the rotting corpse.

_"Just make sure you tell him what we agreed, you do not want him pissed or you won't be able to walk away alive Tyler"  
_Tyler smiled smugly "I can't be killed by anything supernatural Katherine"

She simply ended the call upset with his childish response.  
Tyler turned and looked at the man slightly gaining some colour with a slight discomfort.

* * *

"Jeremy …" Elena came inside the room watching her kid brother sitting there in the dark.  
He didn't look at her, his tears just streamed down his face.

Elena fought to contain her own tears and stroked his hair "I need you to talk to me"  
"Just leave my room Elena" he coldly told her.

"Jeremy, please…" she begged, hurt with his constant rejection.  
But Jeremy stood up mad from his bed and held the door for her "Get out Elena"

She licked her lips in pain but quietly left his room, he slammed the door as she left.  
Elijah rested against the staircase; he looked at Elena calmly "Are you all right?"

"I need you to do me a favour…" she said with fat tears streaming down her face.  
Elijah frowned "What can I do for you Elena?"

Elena cried knowing this was the hardest thing for her but she couldn't take it any more and with Jenna dead, Alaric gone missing and one evil Original on the loose, it was the only way.

* * *

Bonnie and Kol arrived at Elena's at the same time than Klaus and Caroline, both friends hugged each other with a small smile, they had lost so much family between them that they were sadly starting to become immune to the pain caused by it.

Bonnie was the first to go inside the house and Caroline took the chance to talk to Kol and Klaus alone.  
"I don't want Elena to know that Alaric is my father" she told the two men in her life.

They both nodded at her, neither was planning on giving the news anyway.  
"He's the only father figure she has left and I don't want to steal that away from her as well now" she quietly said and went inside the house following Bonnie.

Kol smirked and looked at Klaus "You do realise she's far too good for you, right?"  
Klaus smiled "I'm constantly reminded by it"

* * *

Elena cleaned her face and took a deep breath, she could do this.  
All she needed was to gather her strength up and carry on, like they always did.

Caroline softly knocked on her door and smiled at her friend "You don't have to go, he can do this alone"  
Elena shook her head "I need to do this Care... I need to be there till the very end... and I need to get out of this house or I will lose my mind"

"I know how that feels… I went to Chicago when my mum died" she said stroking Elena's arm.  
Bonnie joined the girls quickly "Kol just told me... you are leaving with Elijah?"

Elena's tears were threatening to come out again "I have no choice Bon..."  
"I'm not judging you Elena; it's what's safer for Jeremy. At least for now" Bonnie fully supported her friend in her decision.

"I figured if Elijah was so good hiding us in this town, he could do the same for Jeremy and keep him safe… he's not safe in here. Elijah will compel him to forget about me and he's staying with a couple Elijah knows and he won't remember Mystic Falls or any of us…" she said letting that one tear down her cheek.

"I really love you Elena Gilbert for being who you are, giving up on your only brother can't be easy" Caroline said taking her hand into hers.  
Elena smiled at Caroline "But I have two super awesome sisters"

"So true…" Caroline sighed.  
Elena smiled and all three friends hugged.

"I'm going to miss you guys" She whispered.  
"At least you will have awesome company" Bonnie pulled away smiling.

Elena had no choice but to softly laugh.

They all came downstairs together to find the boys waiting for them.  
"I'm ready" Elena said holding a bag with clothes and her emotions inside.

Elijah smiled at her "I compelled him already so he doesn't know who you are, he thinks he came here for vacation and that we are driving him home"  
Elena took a deep breath "I can do this"

Caroline turned her friend to her "Yes you can. You are Elena Gilbert and you have survived so far and you will get through this as well"  
Elena nodded and handed Caroline a set of keys "These are the keys to my dad's old office where Alaric keeps all the supernatural research he did and items he found, I'm sure he has that rare herb Bonnie lacks for the spell"

Caroline smiled and took the keys, Elena smiled at everyone and hugged the girls one last time before going after Elijah.  
Jeremy smiled at her when she got inside the car "Hi, are you going as well? Cool, I like road trips" he said and switched his Ipod banging his head to the sound of Indy Rock music.

Elena licked her lips and smiled; she turned around facing the wind shield, Jeremy happy and at ease without drugs was something she didn't remember at all.  
She locked her seat belt and looked at Elijah.

He nodded at her and his warm smile soothed her, she could do this, she was doing what was best, Jeremy was all she had left and she was going to do whatever it took to keep him unharmed.

* * *

"Bonnie and I will go start working on that spell" Kol said looking at Caroline.  
She smiled at him "While I'll get the last thing she needs, this juju herb"

Klaus smiled showing his dimples, silly Caroline "It's called Elderberry and it was used in old England to deter witches"  
Caroline smiled lazily at him "Have you ever considered a teaching career Nik?"

"And we're leaving... " Kol said grabbing Bonnie's hand pulling her along with him.  
She smiled enjoying it.

Klaus was serious now that they were alone and came closer to Caroline "I'm going with you to this office in town"  
She shook her head softly "No"

Klaus sighed deeply "I'm not leaving you alone with Finn around"  
Caroline smiled and moved so she was closer to him "I'll be fine. You should go see Rebekah"

Klaus licked his lips upset "I might kill her if I see her now"  
Caroline played with the button on his shirt "No killing… just talk to her"

"What's that supposed to do exactly?" he asked squinting.  
She smiled and leaned over "It would be nice if she felt that you aren't mad at her right now"

"But I am mad at her" Klaus simply said.  
"Trust me Niklaus… she was just acting out of fear of losing you. So I'm going to town and you are going over to Matt's and fix this situation with her"

Klaus wasn't happy with the new arrangements but he wasn't going to fight with Caroline over this.

"At least take someone from the pack with you. I don't want you wandering around town alone"  
This he wasn't going to compromise and she knew it.

Caroline smiled and brushed his lips leaving a quick kiss which left him slightly annoyed, he wanted a lot more.  
"Be careful Caroline..." he asked her licking his lips slowly.

It was still hard for him to admit she could so easily tap into this side of him, the extra guarded side of him and his feelings.  
Caroline bit her lip smiling, this was a first, someone worried about her, a man.

"I love you" she said without thinking, it just came out because she needed to have it out there.  
Not that she hadn't said it to him before but this was different.

Klaus smile gave him completely away because it was awkward and he showed his dimples and for a second she thought he was going to say it but he gave her a naughty smile and left.

She grimaced, it was silly, really, they had said it after epic fights or during sex but she was still a girl and she needed to listen to it just once without anything behind it, not only in her memories of her former life but in this one because she had fallen in love with him in this life as well but Klaus was Klaus and there was nothing she could do about it.

She found a werewolf waiting for her when she stepped outside Elena's house and shook her head; he was still very protective of her.

* * *

Klaus gave Matt a smile "Let me in mate, I have a pending conversation with my sister"

The human scolded him and crossed his arms "Only if she wants to talk to you, I'm on vervain so you can't compel me"  
Klaus smile opened up and he spoke loud "Rebekah love, it's your big brother, unless you want a dead human friend, come outside so we can settle this"

Rebekah showed up slowly behind Matt "Are you going to dagger me?" she asked in fear.  
"And ruin that beautiful shirt? I would never" he said amused.

Rebekah smiled even without wanting and touched Matt's arm "It's ok Matt"  
The human was still not happy about this but moved and she came outside.

She walked with Klaus waiting for him to start.  
"You sent our mad brother after Caroline" he said and then stopped "Have you lost your mind Rebekah?"

She didn't look up at him, she kept her eyes on the ground "I didn't remember"  
Klaus chuckled "And if you did, you would have gone after her, yourself"

Rebekah looked at him now, a vicious smile on her face "I'm happy you know me so well Nik"  
His smile was gone and he gave her a stern look "I will always protect Caroline, from everyone, outside my family or within"

Rebekah was mad, it was stronger than her.  
Ever since Caroline showed up, back to when they were human, Klaus had changed.

He spent every waking moment with her and then was this protection thing he had towards her, Rebekah couldn't understand how he could be so protective of someone outside their family.

How he could love someone so much.

* * *

Caroline stopped by the door and smiled at the boy, she remembered him from some class they had together or something.

"It is Xander, right?" she asked using the set of keys Elena gave her before.  
The boy smiled at her "Yes"

She sighed, this sired thingy might take some time to adjust to.  
She quickly opened the old office and made her way into the dark hall, she reached the main room where Alaric kept all the things he gathered over the years and searched for the light, tonight she couldn't care less about being caught by someone.

It was already a blessing that the guard wasn't on duty today, the rest was just a question of finding what she needed.  
She padded the wall searching for the light switch and smiled when she found it.

She just didn't expect Alaric to be there sitting on some dusty chair.  
"Alaric?" she called worried but also unexpectedly happy he was here.

She went to him but then froze at the last second, she saw blood in his hand and his shirt and it all dawned on her "Did you kill Jenna?" she asked in fear.

Alaric opened his arms in a daze "I don't know"  
Xander looked at Caroline; he was out of the loop.

The blonde girl slowly questioned Alaric, making sure he didn't snap "Do you remember what happened?"  
"I was there and we were laughing and talking easily and then there was someone at the door and when I came back to the dinner table…" he looked down on his bloody hand "I didn't want to do it but I couldn't stop myself. And she just kept fighting me..."

Caroline knew he had been compelled but who could have done it?  
Her answer came walking slowly inside the room "God bless the ones that don't care to protect themselves with Vervain"

Caroline was instantly in a predicament, protecting Alaric or trying to fight Finn for her life.  
The Original gave her a playful smile, taunting her and Caroline did what she could think of, she tried to bargain with him.

"Alaric doesn't have anything to do with this so let him go" she asked him.  
Alaric didn't react at all; he just sat there trying to remember what happened earlier.

Finn opened his arms and moved from the door "By all means… please leave"  
Caroline grabbed Alaric's arm and made him get up, she looked at Xander "Take him out of here"

The boy shook his head "I don't think I can do that... my Alpha gave me distinct orders to stay with you"  
"I'm sure he also told you that you are supposed to answer to me as well" she told him upset.

Xander took Alaric's arm "I'll be right back"  
She looked at Finn, he came inside the room keeping his word and letting the other two leave.

"Impressive" he said with a smile.  
She didn't answer him; she was busy thinking of a way to get out of this one.

"Why did you compel Alaric to kill Jenna?" she asked him slowly.  
"I was bored... I wanted the doppelganger but she wasn't home" he shrugged.

"What did you want with Elena?" Caroline asked frowning.  
Finn smiled "Curious are we Caroline?"

"You are after my friends and family, I'm sorry if I have piercing questions" she snapped.  
Finn laughed and squinted at her "Give me what I want and I'll answer all the questions you have"

She felt sick to her stomach, she didn't need details, she knew precisely what he was after.  
He took a step closer to her and she took two backwards, she bumped into the table and cursed it.

"Are you going to wake Mikael? Is that why you want Elena dead? So that he can't be killed?" she asked more questions, she was buying time, until he came for her.  
She knew Klaus would come for her.

Finn gave her a playful smile "Who said I wanted her dead? I don't need her for anything, my father does but that's his problem, not mine"  
Caroline shook her head softly; she was having a hard time understanding all of this.

Finn taunted her coming closer "Come on Caroline... think about it. Go back to that night you came looking for Niklaus... who did you find dead inside that hut?"  
Caroline frowned trying to recall it and then she remembered the prophecy "Tatia..."

Finn smiled with her whispered name "Yes, the very one that we all fed upon"  
He said the words slowly and they felt like iron hitting her.

"Mikael fed on her..." she said gulping down.

"All this time that my siblings spent looking for you and little did they know you were the only one that knew the big secret" he said stopping so close to her.  
"Is Mikael a hybrid as well?" she asked him not worrying about anything else but learning all she could with the little time she had.

"Yes but the witches thought it was unbalancing nature so his body is dying, slowly dying and he needs to keep feeding on blood to survive. He can't shift into werewolf though because that would kill his human shell" Finn said and then added "Now... I've been very generous and I should get a reward"

"What do you want with Elena?" she stretched that rope, Klaus would be here soon.  
Finn gave into her game "I told you already that she's just a game to me. I don't care about my father, he can rot in hell for all I care"

Caroline tried to tie every piece together but she still had questions that she needed to talk to Klaus about.  
"I gave you all this, what are you going to give me in return?" he asked taking a final step gluing himself to her.

Caroline looked at him bravely "How about a new face?" she said and smashed the glass she had in her hand for the last minutes.  
The vervain that stood on the table among all the stuff Alaric had, made Finn yell in pain and she fought her own screams as her hand burned as well.

She flashed to the door but Finn was quicker shoving her easily against the wall.  
She knew she didn't stand a chance against him, they had been head to head too many times and she lost every fight with him so far.

Finn's stare was dark and twisted, having Caroline this close was a dream but she was always so keen on hurting him.  
"Do you ever think about that night Caroline? The night I killed you? Because I do, I think of what could have been… what I almost accomplished, hadn't my stupid brother arrived" he said in a whisper and she felt more repulsed than ever.

"You really are sick Finn…" she said clicking her teeth mad.  
"Thank you love" he said smiling and grabbed her hair.

She tried to get free but he pulled her head back so she would stand still and look at him.  
"Take your hands off me Finn" she said without fear.

"You really are a beautiful woman Caroline" he said watching the way the tight blue top curved her perfect body, the necklace that hid inside her cleavage, the wavy hair that was soft in his fingers.

He reached out his other hand and touched the naked skin on her chest with the back of his hand; she angrily pushed his hand away.  
He hated that, he hated how she always repelled him, Finn harshly cupped her chin. "Here's the thing Caroline, I want you and no one is killing me any time soon, that means I will never stop until I get what I want…"

"I am with Niklaus, why can't you get that into your hard Original skull? I love Niklaus, I've always loved him so just leave me alone" she said between sharp breaths.

Finn reached behind his back and pulled a white oak tree stake from under the stare of a very confused Caroline.  
"I must admit I was very disappointed to find out you have restrained my access to the house. I was really looking forward to live under the same roof, to catch a glimpse at you getting dressed…" the lust he felt for her just oozed out of every word he said and Caroline felt nauseated by it all.

She didn't say anything; she looked at the door wondering if she could make it, just flash out that door and away from here.  
"You can try but we both know how this always ends" Finn taunted her.

She looked at him furious, he was just moving from creeping her into making her angry.  
Finn noticed the fire in her eyes and it excited him, he had always loved that in Caroline, even as a human she was feisty and he could only imagine how passionate she was between the sheets, the thought made him lick his lips.

Caroline had to try, it wouldn't be her if she just stood here watching Finn undress her with his eyes and mind, she couldn't stand the idea of it all progressing into real deeds.

She put all her strength behind it and tried to fight him, her fangs came out and she managed to release his firm grip on her hair but didn't managed much more because he slapped her hard across the face, she tasted her own blood inside her mouth.

She faced him furious; he was older, stronger and had a vicious craving for her.  
She tried to fight him but how do you fight a one thousand year-old vampire that is this obsessed and despicable?

Caroline panted and grabbed his hand as it came for her throat and she looked at him, Finn was smiling and waved the stake in his hand "I don't have anything to live for, I could easily end it all and take all my family along with me. I have nothing to lose"  
She pulled her eyebrows together.

He was happy to explain "I can just stake myself and take your precious Niklaus along with me"  
"You wouldn't do that..." she said not really believing it.

And Finn realised it smiling even more and coming closer to her face "Just think about it, no one has to know Caroline, Niklaus doesn't have to know…" he whispered and took in her sweet intoxicating smell, oh how Caroline smelled good.

"Go to hell Finn" she said between her teeth.  
I've been a resident since the day I saw you with him" Finn hissed at her.

"Then I suggest you take your frustration out on _me_"

Finn smiled "Came to rescue your girl brother?" Finn asked without looking behind at the deep angry voice.  
But Caroline looked and noticed how infuriated Klaus was with the image of Finn inches away from her.

She knew this wasn't going to end well and Kol was with him, two men so set on protecting her against Finn the Perv, this had tragedy written all over it.

"Step… away… from… _my_… Caroline" Klaus said putting his tamed wrath towards his brother's actions behind every word.  
Caroline gulped down, hell was about to break loose and heads were about to roll because of her.

Finn snarled loudly, mostly because Klaus was emphasizing on the ownership of the beauty in his arms.  
Caroline felt that strength coming back to her and shoved him away, he didn't fight her at all and she quickly went to Klaus that took her, welcoming her to his chest and stroking the back of her neck, he only took his eyes away from Finn enough to check on her.

"Are you all right?" he asked her with slight warmth to him.  
Caroline nodded.

He returned his eyes to Finn and she felt him tense.  
"Kol… take Caroline out of here" he said and Caroline didn't have time to say anything because Kol was already dragging her away.

"No…" she tried but he didn't give her a choice.  
"And Kol…" Klaus called.

His brother looked at him.  
"Expect some pain" he simply said.

Kol didn't say anything; he closed the door behind him and kept Caroline from going inside.  
Klaus smiled at Finn "I smell vervain"

"Your little whore likes to put up a fight" Finn said dropping the white stake to the ground, he wanted to have fun beating the crap out of Klaus.  
The muscles in Klaus face were working so frantically that he was having a hard time focusing on how he wanted to end Finn's life.

His older brother was unapologetic for the moves on Caroline or for killing her as human, Klaus knew this much and the anger inside him was too much to keep inside.

They both sized each other for a moment.  
Then they were on each other's throats, trying to gain leverage over one another.

Klaus landed against the table but he smiled getting up and flashed to Finn with his yellow eyes.  
Finn had a hard time dodging his fists and only was happy when he made Klaus bleed by using his head against his hybrid face.

There were some mean hooks from Finn that hit Klaus hard but he felt no pain, only relief when he turned the fight around and Finn was the one on the ground.

Klaus stood up staggering a bit dizzy and grabbed the stake bleeding and using the back of his hand to clean the blood that covered his right eye, he realised it had a deep cut on it but Finn was in a far worse shape than him.

He smiled between his pants "This was the last time you even got close to Caroline"  
Finn laughed drily at Klaus "So now you are going to kill me? What happens to your beloved sweetheart? She loses you as well"

Klaus smiled tired but punched him again hard "She died once and we still found each other. She's a vampire now so all she has to do is wait for me, because I will find a way through hell itself to get back to her"

"How epic of you and weak…" Finn spat out.  
Klaus smiled darkly "Make no mistake Finn, the woman you so desperately want is mine and she's everything but a weakness to me. She's the reason I'm about to kill you"

* * *

"What are you doing? Let me in there. He's going to do something really stupid" Caroline desperately tried to reason with Kol.  
"He just needs to get this out of his system" Kol said and cut her way again "Let him handle this alone"

"Finn doesn't care about dying and if Nik uses that stake I will lose him…" Caroline was slowly reaching a stage of agony unknown to her.  
"The only reason I'm not in there using Finn as baseball practice is because I know Nik needs to do this. He needs to have some revenge on what Finn did to you but you need to trust us darling" he said with a warm smile.

Caroline shook her head, they were both insane.  
Then Kol gasped and clutched his shoulder, he suppressed a scream but rested his head back on the wall closing his eyes in pain.

Caroline clicked her teeth together and flashed around him, he was in too much pain to stop her; she came inside to find Finn wriggling on the ground with Klaus pressing the stake with both hands and a clutched jaw down on him.

"Nik stop" she asked him scared.  
But Klaus didn't listen to her, the only thing he could think of was finishing the man who had taken her away from him and almost raped her and tortured her and he wanted him dead.

He wanted him to pay for what he did, wanted him to burn underneath him until there was nothing but ashes and he didn't care if he went along with him.  
"Niklaus please... stop" Caroline was begging him now.

But Klaus expression was so hard and she knew he was really considering it.  
"He's not worth it, he's not worth losing you" she said with her first tears.

Klaus licked his lips slowly and gulped down, finally he stepped down and pulled the stake out, he was so invested in this that his throbbing shoulder was nothing but a sting and the blood in his shirt was easily ignored.

He sighed slowly standing up, he threw the stake away and looked at Caroline but she just ran out the door, he rushed after her.  
She was outside when he reached her "Caroline"

But she didn't look at him, she was crying and he flashed pulling her arm but she didn't let him touch her long enough to hold her.  
"Caroline love..." he was slowly becoming aware of what he did.

She faced him covering her mouth crying, almost desperate "What were you thinking?"  
Klaus looked down from her angry eyes "I wasn't..." he confessed.

She caught her breath and her hard tears between sharp pants "You aren't alone anymore, there's two of us in this now, you can't keep handling everything like you are alone and without feeling anything" she was crying, her voice was hoarse and his heart was breaking with everything.

"You can't decide for yourself that it's ok to die so you can have your revenge, you just can't" she yelled at him.  
Klaus didn't say anything, he just looked at her.

Caroline was still crying and he came closer to her, he tried to take her into his embrace but she fought him, she was mad at him.  
She punched his chest a few times in anger and he didn't say a word, her punches became weaker and he wrapped his strong arms around her.

"You can't... you can't do that..." she said between her tears "Because I can't do this alone, I can't do this without you"  
Klaus strong arms pulled her closer to him and she began to soften up against his chest.

"I love you" he said holding her close.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Beautiful Disaster – _Kelly Clarkson_


	28. Loving Father

Tyler removed the rest of the blood bags from the trunk and carried the box inside, he did exactly as Katherine instructed him and set up a direct line of blood into his vein, for the looks of it, he hadn't fed in a very long time and it was hard sticking the needle into the dead veins but he eventually managed.

He was fighting nausea through it all though, dead corpses weren't his thing.  
When he was finished he called Katherine again.

"_Do you have good news for me?" _the sexy vampire asked.  
"I don't know if I got here on time to save anything" he said looking at the chair with a disgusted face.  
_  
"Believe me, he will be up soon and you have to remember what I told you"  
_Tyler nodded "I know"

_"Don't screw this up Tyler or I will kill you"  
_Tyler sighed "Stop worrying so much Katherine... it's annoying" he ended the call upset and turned to the chair but the body was gone.

A grey foul hand gripped around his throat, the corpse was leaning against his back and whispering in his ear "Who are you"  
"Tyler Lockwood" he said scared.

The desiccated man gripped his neck harder "To what purpose, did you wake me?"  
"Katherine sent me" he said slowly and raised his hands "I mean no harm... Mikael"

The man grunted in his ear upset "She stopped sending me food"  
"She was a bit busy..." Tyler said slowly.

"Doing what?" The man was losing his patience fast.  
"Searching for the doppelganger" Tyler said and felt his hold on him loosen up.

Mikael smiled starting to regain his handsome human features as the human blood slowly settled in his body.  
Tyler moved away from him and watched as he healed like that mummy in the movie, it was seriously disturbing, he grabbed a blood bag and handed it to Mikael "More?"

Mikael smiled darkly "Yes please" he said and flung himself at Tyler, he was about to sink his teeth harshly into his neck when Tyler yelled.  
"I'm Original Werewolf" he forgot what Katherine had asked him to say and it was almost too late.

Mikael hesitated "You are?"  
Tyler nodded "Yes, from the Original families, Elijah found me as a baby and took me to Mystic Falls, I was supposed to be the end of my line because I was never meant to turn into werewolf but things didn't quite go as planned"

Mikael was very interested in this story but he was hungry "Don't worry, I won't kill you" he said and bit Tyler so hard the boy yelled in pain.  
He was immune to werewolf bites unlike his children and his bite wouldn't kill Tyler.

Katherine had not failed him and this left him happy, she had sent the perfect supernatural strong creature to wake him and he smiled while drinking the blood of the boy.

When he was satisfied, he released the boy, Tyler was dizzy and his neck was hurting, he staggered looking at Mikael.  
The man looked down on himself and his ruined old clothes "Bring me new clothes boy" he said looking at Tyler "And then I wish to know everything"

Tyler only nodded, he finally felt the fear Katherine felt for the man.

* * *

"We could just hide you away in some place…" Caroline said with a sad tone to her.

Alaric smiled and shook his head "No… I did this, compelled or not, I still killed her Caroline. I killed Jenna…" he said with pain slowly consuming him.  
Caroline smiled but fought tears as she stood there watching him behind bars after turning himself in.

"What happens now?" she asked softly.  
"There will be a trial and I will probably be locked up for the rest of my life" he explained coming closer to her.

"I'll compel whoever I need to compel so that you can at least stay in Mystic Falls. Where I can come and see you…" she said slowly.  
Alaric moved his hand between the jail bars "I'd love that Caroline"

She smiled and took his hand, he trapped it softly between his "I'm sorry for everything Caroline but maybe there's still time for us to have a go at this parenthood thing"  
She cleaned a few tears and nodded at him.

* * *

"You should stop being so nice" Kol said annoyed as they walked back to the Grill.

Caroline shook her head "Stop it Kol… he's my father and no matter how protective you and Nik are about him, I'm still going to try to connect to the last parent I have left"  
Kol huffed mad "Good luck at that, usually when they start awful, they end up homicidal"

Caroline grimaced, she couldn't say anything about this, the Mikaelson's had the worst parents in the world.  
That was a given.

They crossed the street to the Pub, when Finn showed up with a smile "What a happy surprise"  
Caroline gulped down "What do you want?"

He answered with a sick smile "The list grows with everyday and with your fashion choices Caroline"  
Caroline felt nauseated with his innuendos and unconsciously touched her summer dress.

Kol stepped in front of her "Are you here for your daily beating? Give me a minute, let me just go inside and grab my bat" he said with a smile.  
Finn scolded him "You were already annoying as a human, imagine all that enhanced now that you are a vampire"

Kol laughed "We all have a special talent Finn, except you... you just creepy and slimy"  
Finn snarled and threw himself at Kol that swiftly dodged him, holding him by his arms behind his back.

Before Finn knew what was happening Caroline was in his face, he stopped wriggling his way out of Kol's hold and smiled at her "My day just got a lot better"  
Caroline clutched a stake in her hand "Kol?"

He smirked at her behind his brother "I know... expect some pain"  
She smiled at him and staked Finn happy that it made him wince, she looked at Kol.

"Look at that, the binding crap only works with the white oak stake" he said realising he wasn't wounded.  
Caroline was even happier but didn't have the chance to repeat her sweet doings because Finn broke free from Kol and Caroline was stepping back as he came at her.

Her back reached a car and she stopped facing Finn without an ounce of fear, she was getting good at overcoming her fear over the man who took her life and tried to take a lot more, she also was getting good at being the bait.

Finn smiled and took a step closer to the blonde Goddess that lived in his dreams but Kol stepped between them and smiled pushing a dagger into Finn's heart.  
The older Original turned grey and fell to the ground.

"Are you all right?" Kol asked Caroline quickly.  
She only nodded looking down on Finn.

Kol licked his lips and frowned "Maybe we could leave the part where the plan went a little off the rails and Finn almost got to you... again... Nik doesn't have to know about it, I like my heart where it is" Kol pulled a worried face.

Caroline laughed and dialled Bonnie's number.  
Kol picked Finn's body from under his arms and looked at Caroline "I'm serious Caroline..."

She simply ignored him which left him nervous.

* * *

Katherine was upset, it was hard making good allies, that's why she always liked working alone.

She picked the last shirt she had on the drawer and threw it into her bag, she zipped it closed and got ready to flee this place, Elijah would soon make her a visit, she was sure of it and this time she would lose her head.

Katherine left the little room she was staying in and went to her car, she lazily dropped the bag on the passenger side and walked around to the driver seat when Stefan showed up in front of her.

She forced a smile "Stefan Salvatore, are you lost?"  
"No" he said with a shrug and a smile.

"But you must be... cos I have nothing to talk to you" she said easily and opened her door.  
Stefan chuckled and pushed his hand on it, she felt the pressure he made and closed it, she looked around but this was a dodgy motel outside of town, where people came to hide and keep quiet about it.

"It so happens that unlike the Original brother's with the inconvenient crush on you, I can actually use my good senses and Klaus has a pending talk to you" he said taking a step closer to her.  
Katherine gave him a small nervous smile "I'd like to postpone this talk; I have places to be"

Stefan gave her a sweet smile and casually placed his hands inside his jacket pockets "There's a reason why you are still alive Katherine, I wouldn't push my luck with Klaus"  
"Your boyfriend is around? Because I'm older than you and I can take you down easily" she said smiling "Maybe you forgot who is your maker _Stef_"

"Maybe you are the one that forgot whose bed you haven't visited yet" he reminded her.  
She clasped her lips annoyed that the younger Salvatore never fell for her charm, she still felt insulted by it.

"I had nothing to do with the foolish attack from Finn and the original spell was cast by their mother. I just happened to find out about it" she said and looked to the side; she was ready to flash away.

Stefan didn't stop her and smiled widely when Klaus cut her way, taunting her with a smile "You always seem to know a lot of things Katherine"  
She gulped down "Klaus... nice to see you again"

His smile became darker "It's always a pleasure Katherine" he said and slapped her hard, she fell bleeding from her split lip.  
She touched her throbbing lip "You can't kill me"

"And what will you tell me to make me change my mind?" he asked her naturally.  
"I know of vital things that you can't even imagine" she said serious.

He eyed Katherine amused that the original doppleganger still tried to negotiate her fast approaching death.  
Katherine knew she had to give him something "Mikael isn't in a tomb"

Klaus crouched in front of her, he cupped her chin "And he fed on Tatia, that little detail was kept from us but Caroline was there, she saw Tatia's dead body and saw Mikael carry my mother away in his horse. Do I need to compel you in order for you to tell me something I don't know?"

"I know where she is" Katherine said fighting for her life now.  
Klaus stood up shaking his head "Wrong forsaken parent Katherine, I'm more interested in the one they call my father"

"You won't get to him on time, you need leverage on him and I can give you that" she said anxiously.  
"How badly do you want to live _Katerina_?"

"Enough to tell you the truth, which is most that any of them has done so far" she said getting up.  
Klaus squint "What are you talking about?"

"The true purpose to my blood... Elijah found out and ever since he has kept it a secret from everyone. Mikael needs the human doppelganger blood to use in a spell, he also needs the heart of the Original vampire and the heart of..." she didn't finish, she licked her lips nervously.  
Stefan came closer to them "Nik?"

Klaus looked at his friend "He needs my heart, the heart of the Original Hybrid"  
Katherine nodded "Elena's blood can make hybrids Klaus. That's where Mikael will go first, to fetch for her and then he will come for you"

"You can just be deceiving me..." he said suspicious.  
"No..." she shook her head "I'm doing what I know best. Survive and I wouldn't lie to you knowing it would the last thing I ever did in this life"

Klaus nodded and looked at Stefan "Go with her, retrieve my mother and then wait for me"  
"Are you going back?" Stefan asked him a bit surprised.

"I'm going back for Caroline" he said naturally.  
"Rebekah and Kol?" Stefan asked frowning.

"I only care about Caroline now, they shouldn't have lied to me" Klaus said hurt.  
The sting of betrayal was one he could never ignore or forgive.

* * *

Kol smiled at Bonnie, closing his hand over the table, blood dropping from the cut in his hand; Bonnie looked at him and smiled awkwardly.

"You have got to be kidding me" Rebekah snapped watching them.  
Kol looked at her "Jealous?" he asked smiling.

Rebekah made a disgusted face "Let's just finish this"  
Kol returned his smiling features to Bonnie "Do you have everyone's blood?"

She nodded "Klaus and Elijah left their blood behind and now I have yours and Rebekah's, along with Finn's"  
"Then undo the damn spell" Rebekah snapped impatiently.

Bonnie shook her head smiling and then concentrated, she was serious now and a gush of wind came out of nowhere, all the five types of blood on the table boiled as she intensified her mantra.

She placed her hand over them and then the blood that was once mixed moved apart from each other, it stopped on the edge of the table, all five different types away from each other now.

Kol was impressed; he found it intriguing that such a petite human was able to do such amazing things with her gift, not to mention he found her terribly sexy while doing it.

She opened her eyes and he smiled again because he caught the beauty in them.  
"It's done" she said sweetly to him not helping the flirting mood between them.

"How do we know it worked?" Rebekah asked annoyed.  
Kol sighed and grabbed the white oak stake lying on the table, he quickly and unexpectedly staked Rebekah in her tummy.

"KOL" she yelled mad at him and clutching her wound.  
He raised his shirt and looked at his perfect stomach "Nothing, not even a tingle. It worked"

Rebekah clicked her teeth together mad at him "Moron"  
He chuckled "That was for sending creepy Finn after Caroline" he said and left the back room in the Grill.

Rebekah looked at Bonnie that had a smile "What's with the infatuation you and your friends have over my brothers?"  
Bonnie put all the things she used on the spell away and smiled even more at Rebekah "Have you noticed how all of them are just irresistible? It's impossible to stay indifferent to them, even more when they are after us"

Rebekah was upset; she looked down on her tummy and the blood in her hand.  
Bonnie stopped by her "None of us want to hurt them Bekah, you should know that. It's more likely that my friends and I end up with a broken heart when it comes to your brothers, not the other way around"

The words took Rebekah off guard, she licked her lips and looked at Bonnie "They are all I know, all I have ever known Bonnie"  
"I understand but if anything is coming out of whatever Kol and I have, it won't change that"

Rebekah gave Bonnie a small, shy smile.  
The witch grinned "Come on, you need some serious girl time"

"Hanging out?" she asked missing the easy times they had when she first arrived to town.  
Bonnie laughed "Yeah hanging out and teaching you how to finally play some decent pool"

Rebekah smiled more now "All right" she said and followed Bonnie to the public Pub area.

* * *

Kol placed a beer in front of Caroline that reached the bar, she smiled and waved her cell.

"Nik just called, they got some important lead on something to use on Mikael and I told him the spell is undone, he was happy about that"  
Kol smiled at her "I still can't believe you actually convinced Nik to leave your side for ten minutes"

"He left his pack watching over us, you in charge of a crazy plan to get Finn... and he'll be back soon. We can hardly say he went with Stefan easily. But he has to get used to leaving me alone when he has to go do his... things because I won't to be the clingy reincarnation destiny girlfriend… type" she made a confused face.

Kol laughed and drunk from his beer "Very nice of you Caroline"  
She laughed easily as well, it was good having the support from one Original; she took her beer and looked at the pool table where Rebekah was with Bonnie.

"She's already coming around and soon she will realise it was stupid of her to do that" Kol said.  
Caroline looked at him and smiled "Is it weird that I'm beginning to rely so much on you?"

"You better! All that hard work to find you and then become friends with you all over again?" He raised his hands in the air in a silly way.  
Caroline laughed "You missed me that much?"

"You were the only one I had back then, it's not easy being the only sibling that no one prefers" he pouted.  
"Naww but I love you like one" she displayed her best smile.

"And that is why I searched all these years for you, plus…" he was a bit serious now.  
She squinted and tilted her head to him "Yes Kol?"

"You have very nice friends" he said and gave her a naughty smile.  
Caroline laughed shaking her head.

She looked at the table again and decided to try her luck, she took her beer and came closer to the girls.  
Bonnie laughed because Rebekah missed another ball "Hey Care, you heard anything from Elena yet?"

Caroline shook her head "Not yet... guess they haven't arrived to the house yet... can I talk to you Rebekah?" she said not wanting to waste any more time.  
Bonnie nodded "I'll leave you guys alone"

Rebekah folded her arms upset "What?"  
Caroline clicked her teeth, this might be harder than she expected "You still hate me"

The blonde Original shook her head "If there's someone I'm very protective off is my brother Caroline, so yes, I still very much hate you"  
"Why?" Caroline asked her with the simplicity of someone who can't understand.

"Because he's my big brother and I love him" Rebekah said clasping her lips "And you showed up with your stupid braids and your stupid smile and all he would talk about was you. Ever since that day that you sneaked your way into our lives and his heart that all he thinks about is you"

Caroline sighed "Rebekah, I love him"  
"Did it come to you in a dream Caroline? Because if I recall correctly you said you hated him when he first got here"

Caroline played with her bottom lip "And then he saved my life, more than once Rebekah and he was there when I needed him to be. And then I couldn't stop thinking about him and we kissed and all I wanted was to be with him... I may have loved Niklaus when we were human but I fell in love with Klaus this time around, even when he tried to push me away and... I'm not giving him up even if that means going against you"

Rebekah fulminated her with her stare "Niklaus would never chose you over me"  
"Maybe but I won't be the one to make him chose" Caroline said and turned around leaving Rebekah cursing the concern she felt for her brother.

She just didn't want things to change, she hated change and it has been just her and Klaus for so long.

* * *

Caroline finished a very long bubble bath and came to the bedroom wrapped in a towel.

She looked at her perky nighty that lay on the bed but Klaus wasn't here, by the looks of it she was spending the night alone and didn't see the point in wearing it.

A naughty smile came over her and she swiftly went through his shirts, she loved his smell and like the other time, it had soothed her having his smell so close to her.  
She didn't have to look much, she found one that had his smell strongly embedded into the cotton already and got rid of the towel stepping into it.

Caroline was feeling soothed and happy when she sneaked under his perfect sheets, she only grimaced when she realised how huge the bed was and how lonely it felt.

Her hand touched where he was supposed to be and she pursed her lips, she missed him.  
Caroline took his pillow into her arms wrapping them closely around it, she fell asleep with a smile because it smelled like him as well.

* * *

"Thank you" Elena said with a smile.

Elijah returned the smile and focused on his hot coffee "We should be there in one hour"  
Elena liked the calm ways to Elijah, she looked inside the car and caught Jeremy sleeping, she pulled her cardigan closer to her.

"Are you cold?" Elijah asked keen on removing his jacket off.  
Elena picked up on it "No... I'm mostly in shock... I can't get used to losing people" she simply said and enjoyed the heat from her coffee.

Elijah looked ahead of them, the rather busy road in front of the gas station "I miss that feeling"  
Elena looked at him intrigued "Does it get easier with time Elijah?"

He looked into his coffee "No, I'm afraid we as vampires just find it easier to turn off our emotions"  
"Aren't you the lucky ones" she smiled faintly.

Elijah looked at her serious "Jeremy is the lucky one for having someone who loves him enough to let him go"  
Elena clutched her coffee "But it hurts so much Elijah and I can't shut my feelings off like you. I'm just some ordinary human"

Elijah squint and then there was an honest smile on his lips "Believe me Elena, there is nothing ordinary about you"

* * *

Caroline moaned feeling something tickling her face, she smiled recognizing his stubble.

"You're back" she whispered opening her eyes slowly to face him.  
Klaus smiled kissing her lips now "Apparently"

"How did it go with Stefan and Katherine?" she asked in a still sleepily voice but moving so she could properly see the man she had missed.  
"Eventful" he simply said and outlined her face with his fingers.

This was a thousand times better than watching Caroline sleep without her knowledge.  
"What happened?" she asked suspicious.

He moved her locks from her shoulder and noticed her sleeping choices.  
"Don't you have anything to sleep in besides my shirts love?" he asked her serious.

Caroline smiled and smouldered him with these big eyes of hers "No... everything I own was destroyed in a fire"  
Klaus shook his head "That's a shame and a problem... I'm very possessive of my things sweetheart"

She stroked the back of his neck bringing shivers to him "Then you should definitely reclaim what's yours"  
Klaus eyes seem to set Caroline on fire or maybe that was his big hands that made their way under the shirt touching her skin.

He licked his lips "I want you to come away with me Caroline" he whispered.  
"Away?" she smiled confused.

"Yes... come away with me from this place, let's start a new life together, away from here, just the two of us" he asked stroking her skin gently.  
Caroline found the request strange "Just us? What about your family?"

Klaus was serious "You are all that is important to me Caroline, we deserve this. We've earned this chance to live the life that was stolen from us. I was always meant to marry my girl and live a boring Viking's life with her"

She stroked his stubble "So you want to take me away and go live in the middle of the woods, have me mend after the hut while you are out being all manly and hunt for us? And have me wait until you come back to me riding your magnificent horse in the afternoon and make love to me by the fire on top of some soft fur at night?"

Klaus gulped down loudly "Sounds a lot better than what I had in mind" he squint.  
Caroline giggled "Niklaus..."

"It sounds perfect, can we leave now?" he asked her smiling.  
She shook her head softly and then was serious "I belong with you, wherever that might be, I'll follow you to death if I have to Niklaus, if that means I will be with you forever. So yes, take me away with you"

Klaus leaned over and caught her lips with his, kissing her, then his lips were on her neck and he trailed it down slowly, the shirt she was wearing came off and she pulled his hair.

His hands found all the right places to touch, to caress and his lips drove her insane.

* * *

"Come on Grandpa... it's still early" Rebekah said not wanting to part from her new-found passion, pool.

"Yeah... it's still early" Bonnie joined the pleading, she didn't want to go home.  
Kol rolled his eyes, he was on edge; he couldn't explain it.

He just felt that something bad was about to happen.  
He tried Klaus cell again, it went straight to voice mail and he huffed.

Rebekah giggled happy that she hit a ball half-right and then clapped when Bonnie missed her ball.  
Bonnie pouted but was a good sport about it and allowed Rebekah to have her exciting victory.

"Again?" she asked with a smile.  
Bonnie smiled "Why not?"

"No, let's just go home for tonight all right?" he told the two girls.  
They both grimaced at him.

"I'm going to get the car, you two close the place up" he said leaving no room for pleading, he was too anxious and he couldn't explain it.  
He honestly just wanted to go home and try to reach Klaus again.

But once outside Kol only had a few steps because two men in front of him made him stop.  
He looked at the old man feeling his breath change, he was genuinely scared like he never was; the only time he felt like this was when he was still a human boy.

"Hello son" Mikael said next to Tyler.

* * *

Caroline arched her back in pleasure, God, everything was so intense and slow.

She felt his hot breath in her neck, his perfect body hot under her hands, sweat beginning to cover them both.  
Klaus hand cupped her heated cheek and she looked at him while he moved in such evil cunning ways.

Caroline locked her eyes with his.  
"I love you Caroline..." he whispered pushing slow and steady.

She stroked his neck, felt his necklaces move along with him and then he kissed her.  
Caroline moaned into his mouth because he was still moving, he was kissing her but he didn't stop his slow thrusts and at some point she felt that his tongue was making love to her as well.

She moved her leg, slowly around him, her foot on his back, her knee bending in that knowing way by now, wanting to feel him closer, deeper and his hand grazed her leg, her ass, everywhere actually.

She clasped her eyes when he moved that bit faster, it was a crime surely, the way he made love to her, killing her with every move, every kiss; every touch.  
"Niklaus..." she whispered lost beyond any reason.

He wasn't stopping now nor was he was being slow, bringing them closer to an end.  
She looked at him, his necklaces dangling as he moved into her, his perfect face inches away from her, she rested her hand above his heart and he closed his eyes with her touch, lost in her as well.

In every sound of pleasure she made, every expression caused by him, by his love.  
Caroline was close, about to fall into sweet oblivion and ecstasy and felt a silent tear fall down her cheek because she loved him so much it literally hurt.

It only took him a couple more thrusts for them to fall together, both panting tiredly but finding each other's lips, wanting to seal this moment in all the love they felt for one another.

* * *

"It has been a long time son" Mikael said easily.

Kol looked at the man who was never a father to any of them, knowing that this was not bound to end well.  
"I haven't really missed you" he simply said and squint wondering if he could take on his own father.

Mikael smiled knowing none of them were going to welcome him back with open arms but he wasn't expecting it anyway.  
"Where's the rest of you?" he asked detaching himself from the family connection at once.  
He was here for a reason and with a mission; feelings were long-lost in his werewolf days.

"Gone. They all left me alone" Kol said and looked at Tyler that seemed on edge and with a nasty bite wound on his neck.  
Something normal to feel when you were in the presence of Mikael Mikaelson.

Mikael smiled and removed a knife from the inside pocket there.  
Kol clasped his lip watching the weapon, not enough to kill him but it still would hurt like hell.

"I really didn't want this kind of reunion" Mikael said serious.  
"Is there any other kind? There's nothing but hate in our family. You'll get used to the bad reunions soon enough" Kol simply said.

Mikael opened his arms "I still didn't want it this way"  
Kol knew he had very little time here so if Mikael wasn't coming for him, he was doing something about it.

He flashed and grabbed Tyler, the werewolf fought him but Kol was stronger and he landed several feet away.

There was only Kol and his father looking at each other now.  
"Come on father, I'm waiting for you" he smiled at Mikael.

* * *

Bonnie and Rebekah turned the lights off and reached the front door.

Bonnie frowned not recognizing the older handsome man with Kol "Who's that with Kol?" she asked Rebekah curious.  
Rebekah looked outside and saw him there with Kol.

She froze but quickly reacted grabbing Bonnie before she stepped outside, Bonnie made a muffled sound as Rebekah shoved her against the wall and covered her mouth.

"My father" she mouthed to Bonnie.  
The witch saw the panic in Rebekah's face and was worried, both girls stayed back in the shadows watching the two men outside.

Mikael moved fast, too fast for Kol and the knife quickly ended inside Kol's chest, the young Original suppressed a scream, he wasn't giving Mikael the satisfaction.

Bonnie and Rebekah gasped at the same time, Bonnie tried to get past Rebekah to reach Kol but the blonde girl didn't allow her to move an inch.  
As much as it hurt to watch Mikael stab Kol, they wouldn't stand a chance if they stepped outside.

Tyler slowly got up and came near the two men.  
Kol gushed out blood as Mikael held him and took the knife out and quickly stabbed him again, near the first wound.

But Kol still didn't scream, he held it all inside like they all learned to do, since they were human and Mikael used to beat them down every other day.

"Where is everyone Kol? That's all I want to know" Mikael asked his son, surprisingly in a sweet twisted way.  
He held Kol in his arms, as his son tried to stand up.

Kol was bending forward and felt the knife inches away from his heart, it wasn't a deadly wound but the pain was almost unbearable.  
"Elijah… left with the doppelganger… we don't know where, he left to protect her" Kol said slowly.

Mikael sighed and twisted the knife, this time Kol knelt in pain but God damn it, he was not going to scream.

Rebekah felt tears stream down her face, she had to do something but she was paralysed watching her brother being tortured by their father.

"And your sister?" Mikael asked and she felt shivers of fear.  
Kol panted in pain and looked at his father that now crouched in front of him.

"Left… they all left" he said between harsh pants.  
"I don't believe they would leave you here" Mikael simply said.

Kol knew he was going to twist that knife yet again so he smiled "Torture me all you want _father_, they left town as soon as they knew you were coming and I was on my way to some nice European city"

"Where did Niklaus go?" Mikael asked and Kol saw all that hatred he felt towards his own children.  
"Nik has survived all this time because he cares about no one, he left alone and without any explanation, as he lives his life"

"And Caroline?" Tyler asked quietly.  
Kol shot his eyes in rage to the idiotic werewolf "She left with him"

Mikael smiled darkly "So you lied… what else are you hiding from me son?"  
Kol closed his eyes and removed the knife from his chest, the pain ripped through his entire body but he clenched his jaw and handed the bloody weapon to his father.

"Round three? Make it a little closer to my heart this time, the pain makes me feel alive"  
He taunted his father with a smile.

Mikael looked at Kol with no smile, he wasn't getting anything from him tonight "_If _Niklaus left this town as you said, I need him back and nothing better than to test his bond to his younger brother"

Kol squint not sure what he meant but saw the yellow eyes and understood.  
Mikael flashed behind Kol and laced his arm around his neck; he was weak so the resistance came a lot softer this time.

"Today is the day you kill another one of your children, it truly must be a proud day for you" Kol whispered.  
Mikael looked down on the ground "I'm sorry son" he said and then sunk his teeth into Kol's neck.

This time Kol couldn't hold the yell as the fire consumed him instantly.  
Mikael dropped Kol and cleaned his mouth, he looked at a very confused Tyler "You didn't think so highly of yourself did you boy? Your bite might be lethal to us because you are from the Original Werewolf families but so am I"

Tyler frowned looking after Mikael as he left and then at Kol that knelt on the ground and then fell unconscious, he was confused but Mikael had answers, he rushed after him.

Rebekah barely held her tears and screams inside, she covered her mouth in shock and despair.  
Bonnie finally managed to take advantage of it and ran outside; she knelt quickly by his side.

She touched his face, it was burning and the bite spreading fast, Mikael was really powerful.

"Kol?" she softly called for him but he didn't answer her.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Out of my hands - _Dave Mathews Band_


	29. Decoy

_**Hello lovelies, **  
_

_**I'm sorry it took me so long to update this chapter but it was a really busy week and though I promised one of my bears I would update last Thursday, it took me longer, so... SORRY.  
Thank you again for all the reviews and constant support.  
Thank you for keep reading not only this one but all of my stories.  
You bears are the best. :D  
I will try to keep updating as fast as I can but sometimes real life gets in the way so be patient with me and I hope I don't make too many of you upset.  
I love you all :)  
Cheers, Ad  
**_

* * *

___Kol huffed annoyed and looked at Klaus "Will you be long Niklaus?"  
_

_Klaus smiled at his 14 year-old brother and kept doing his strong lines down on the wooden piece he had sneaked out of the house earlier._  
_"Why are you in such a hurry to go back to the hut?" he asked looking at the beautiful landscape in front of him._

_He was fascinated with the way the river looked at this hour; the early afternoon was always the best hour to do his silly scribbling._  
_It was a passion he found by accident actually but he loved using the dark coal into something beautiful like making pictures come to life._

_He smiled and captured the girl twirling around among to the flowers._  
_"KOL" She yelled at the boy next to Klaus"Come play with me"_

_Kol made another huffing sound "I rather be hunting with Elijah and father than spending my days watching you draw flowers and Bekah picking all of them and then making me carry them home... and she doesn't even mind after them once we get there"_  
_Klaus held back a chuckle "She likes making you upset, it's funny to watch" he said looking at his young brother._

_Kol rolled his eyes when she called him again._  
_"Go on, she's our little princess" Klaus teased Kol._

_Kol made a vomit face but anything was better than watching Klaus make black lines on a piece of wood._  
_Klaus was amused watching the two youngest, Rebekah had a bunch of flowers and she smiled handing them to Kol, he threw his head back, his sister had a very girly notion of playtime._

_She pouted and urged him to take the flowers; he took them mad and then easily threw them into the river._  
_Klaus sighed; here they went again..._

_She pulled his hair mad and he did the same, pulling her really long blonde hair._  
_"NIKLAUS" She called upset that Kol was wining the fight._

_Klaus stood up slowly, God knows he was in no hurry when he reached the two young kids fighting._  
_Rebekah kicked Kol's leg and smiled all happy that it made him yell._

_Kol narrowed his eyes mad and came at Rebekah mercilessly, he swiftly threw her into the river._  
_He was grinning when she fought to get back on dry land, he only went serious when Klaus stopped next to him and gave him a judging look, he looked down from his older brother but kept his smirk when Rebekah stood in front of him soaking wet._

* * *

"Nik…" Rebekah tried to gulp down but her mouth was dry.

Klaus stood by the door with his arms folded and a stern expression; she even saw indifference in him.  
Caroline nested Kol's head closer to her and tried to push the huge fever down with a wet cloth.

She gave Klaus a look knowing that she would have to step in soon.  
"You have to help him" Rebekah said between her teeth, holding back the tears that wanted to come out.

Klaus remained the same way, even when Kol appeared to get worst by the second.  
He was burning up in a ferocious fever and his neck wound, where Mikael had bit him was spreading fast through his body.

A werewolf bite between Originals was like poising a human with cyanide, it was slowly taking Kol's life but not slow enough.  
Klaus still said nothing and he didn't budge from where he was, Bonnie came inside the room and rushed to the bed, she looked at Caroline and took Kol's hand into hers.

His fever was turning him cold now and all the girls became even more worried.  
"Father bit him... you have to do something" Rebekah urged her big brother to move.

Finally Klaus spoke but still without moving from where he was "Why should I care?"  
Rebekah squinted at him followed by a gasp "He's our brother"

"Should I have the same consideration for him that you all had for me all these years? Hiding, sneaking plans behind my back..." he asked slowly.  
Rebekah cleaned a tear coming down her cheek "It's Kol... whatever issues we have to settle we can do it after you heal him Nik... we can't lose him" she begged him.

Caroline watched everything knowing Klaus too well, he felt betrayed and that was stopping his care to come forward.  
"Did you know about Elena's blood? That it could make hybrids?" he asked his sister serious.

Caroline looked at Bonnie, her friend was in shock but neither spoke, they just silently watched the Original confrontation going on inside Kol's room.  
Bonnie forced herself to come out of her jolt and focused on Kol, she closed her green eyes trying to slow down his infection or at least to take away some of the pain he was in.

"Answer me Rebekah" Klaus pushed her.  
She felt tears fall and nodded "Yes..." she whispered.

Klaus silently turned around and left the room, Rebekah covered her mouth knowing more tears were coming, she hated being so weak but she was on the verge of losing a brother.  
"Niklaus" Caroline called after him on the hall.

But he didn't stop, she followed him into his bedroom and closed the door behind her, she needed to do this in private.  
He gave her a look and she could tell how mad he was, disappointed even.

"Niklaus... you can't let him die" she said in a soft way.  
He pressed his teeth together mad "They have done nothing but lie to me. My entire life"

She smiled warmly at him "I know, I've been there and it's the worst feeling in the world but you can't let him die"  
"Why? Because you were friends?" he asked with a half-smile.

She came near him and shook her head "Because he is your brother and he is dying and you are the only one with the cure"  
Klaus faced away from her mad "Why should I bother? It's one less that I have scores to settle for deceiving me"

"You don't mean that" she said again softly and he snapped.  
He looked away from her "Yes I do. I don't feel anything but hate for all of them. For keeping me in the dark all these centuries"

"They did it to protect you" she said reaching out to touch his arm.  
But Klaus didn't allow it, he knew he would falter as soon as he felt her touch; he turned his back on her and went to his window.

"I know that you are hurt but you will never forgive yourself if you don't help Kol... I will never forgive you" she added in a whisper.  
Klaus licked his lips "Then I'll have to find a way to live with that"

Caroline clicked her teeth and went to him; she pulled his arm so he would face her, he fought her hold again but she insisted and placed her hand on his neck.  
"Look at me Niklaus" she said and she wasn't being soft now.

Klaus slowly met her gaze.  
"You are going into that room and you are going to heal Kol" She demanded sternly.

"They didn't do this to protect me; they did it to protect themselves from what your death did to me. I wasn't... _this_... that I became. I was something else entirely" he said between the pain living inside him.

"I know but Mikael didn't do this only to you, he did it to everyone and Kol is in the next room dying because he stood up to him like he grew up watching you do day after day" Caroline had both hands on his neck now trying to reach that side of him.

She moved her hand down to his chest and stopped over his heart.  
"This one that races every time we are together, that beats so strong and gives me that safety I never felt before, it doesn't beat only for me... you know that Niklaus. I'm important to you but so are they. I know that you feel deceived and that you are angry and hurt but forgiveness will come to you sooner than you expect"

Caroline licked her lips, she would follow him to hell, but she wasn't giving up on Kol.  
Klaus removed her hands from his neck and walked away from her; he bit into his hand and filled a glass that he handed to her.

Caroline took it slowly, she felt him uneasy and she didn't like it.  
"You should hurry, your best friend won't last for much longer" he said slowly.

Caroline bit her lip feeling the tension in his voice "Nik..."  
But he smiled at her, a sad smile though and leaned over to kiss her, he placed a sweet kiss on her lips and then left the room, she turned around fast but didn't go after him.

She rushed to Kol's room and handed Rebekah the blood, Kol's sweat was cold and his breath was low, slowly giving into a peaceful death.  
His sister forced the healing blood on him and stroked his cheek "Come on moron... you can't die on me... I need someone to make me laugh and drive me insane" Rebekah whispered touching his wild hair.

Kol gulped down harshly and slowly regained consciousness, he moaned tired and Rebekah smiled through her tears, she stroked his cheek in a loving way.  
"How are you feeling?" she whispered to him.

"Suspicious because you are being too nice to me" he said and slowly opened his eyes.  
Rebekah laughed softly, it was working; Klaus blood was working.

Bonnie was happy about it as well but gave the two siblings a moment alone; she came outside the room and to her friend that was standing by the window.  
"He's healing" she told Caroline but her friend wasn't here, she was somewhere else.

She was with the man outside the house talking to his Second in command.  
Yanna nodded and Caroline noticed how the werewolves were gathering and she licked her dry lips "Send a text to Elena, warning her about the true purpose to her blood and tell her to convince Elijah not to get back, to run away to some place Mikael can't find her" she quickly said and ran down the hall.

She flashed outside and Klaus was already returning inside the house, Yanna gave her a determined look and Caroline needed no more words.  
They were going to war.

"What's wrong?" she asked him anxiously.  
"The pack killed some werewolves that were seen circling the house" he simply said.

Caroline followed him close by "Yours?"  
"No... dear Mikael has been siring wolves of his own... apparently Tyler was very busy, tracking wolves that have been excluded from their packs like him, Outcasts and Mikael sired them into one pack only"

Caroline came inside the house feeling worst by the second "Tyler?"  
"Yes" Klaus simply said and she flashed around to stand in front of him.

"I'm not letting you go find Mikael just to end up dead" she clicked her teeth together.  
He smiled at her "Your trust in me is touching sweetheart"

She dismissed his smile with a violent shook of her head "No... I won't let you go alone..."  
"My pack is waiting Caroline" he said and went past her; he went for his car keys and sighed because she was right behind him.

"This is suicide..." she whispered "Five minutes ago you wanted to let your brother die and now you are willing to go to search for your father? It makes no sense"  
Klaus turned to her "I'm going for him Caroline, before he comes for me"

She was resisting his words by shaking her head.  
"I know him too well Caroline, Kol's attack was just a way to show me that he is willing to do anything to get what he wants. He will never stop until he is able to make more hybrids like us and with me gone, he will finally have the power he craves for centuries now" he said trying to get away again.

"Let's go away, let's run away like you wanted. Just the two of us, Elijah won't come back and Kol and Rebekah can go away on their own and hide. He will never find any of us" Caroline tried bargaining with him.

Klaus stroked her cheek and smiled, he came closer to her lips and kissed her, he left a sweet kiss there before his hand went to her neck and he kissed her deeply this time.  
Caroline kissed him back not sure why it felt so much like a goodbye to her; she kept the kiss going unable to part from him or his lips.

Klaus smiled when they broke the long kiss, he stroked her cheek "I love you but you have to stay here. I don't know what I was thinking... that I had a chance at this, to have a normal life with you Caroline..."  
Caroline chewed on her bottom lip worried.

His fingers played with her perfect blonde hair "I was so mad that Kol did something so foolish like going against my father, he should have known better and death would teach him that but I wouldn't let him die... But this needs to end, everyone inside this house is a weakness Mikael can use against me"

Caroline felt tears to her eyes but she didn't know what to say.  
"Stay here, he can't come inside the house, Bonnie's spell is keeping every vampire out and he is still half-vampire. I will be back after I deal with him. Tell Kol and Rebekah to leave, I don't want them near Mystic Falls" he said sternly and left Caroline with an aching heart.

* * *

"So thanks for the ride; that was fun" Jeremy said with a big smile.

Elena only nodded, she couldn't even say anything right now; her heart was breaking inside her chest in too many ways.  
An old couple stepped outside their home with a warm smile.

"You're home, oh how we have missed you Jeremy" she said sweetly.  
Jeremy rushed to the woman and hugged her; it felt so strange to Elena that the entire scene seemed taken out of a real perfect family portrait.

She cleaned her silent tears because Jeremy seemed happy and relaxed; he waved at her and Elijah and went inside the house listening to his music.  
The couple came near Elijah and nodded solemnly to him "We'll take care of him and raise him as our own" the man said serious.

Elijah returned the nod and looked at Elena "Do you wish to speak to him one last time before we leave?"  
She simply shook her head and went to the car, she was sobbing by the time she closed her door but she knew this was what she had to do; it was the best for Jeremy.

Elijah handed the old man a brown envelope with money and then joined Elena.  
"It's not the first time they help me with this"

Elena nodded "I'm trusting my brother's life with you Elijah"  
He looked at her serious "That's no small thing to trust me with. Thank you Elena"

She tried to steady her heavy tears and looked down on her lap, happy when he finally pulled away from the typical countryside home.

* * *

Stefan pushed the really old door to the crypt, it was an old abandoned cemetery and most graves were just covered in wild flowers and trash that the wind carried.

"I hope she's really here Katherine" Stefan said looking at the only thing in here, an old marble tomb.  
The heavy structure hardly gave in and he looked at Katherine, she silently helped him.

They both opened it and Stefan was taken aback, the woman looked like a normal human.  
Her body was preserved and she looked almost alive, minus the grey tone to her skin, Stefan moved the casing further looking for the reason he came here but her dress was torn around the area where her heart was supposed to be and he sighed deeply.

"Where is it Katherine?" he asked without turning.  
"Safe" she said and came at him with a stake in her hand.

Stefan quickly moved and grabbed the stake in time, he frowned at her "Klaus said I could kill you when I was done with you"  
She smiled defying him "I'm the only one that knows where that heart is"

"Don't worry... you'll soon tell me" he said stroking her chin.  
Katherine smiled "Is this the part where you threaten to torture the truth out of me?"

"I'm a man of few words, it's one of the reasons I get along so well with Klaus. We believe in the power of actions over words"  
Katherine rose her eyes slowly to him "I know..."

Stefan pulled his eyebrows together and then screamed in pain, clutching his head.  
Luka came inside the crypt and closed his hand, Stefan was yelling louder, his head was exploding and he couldn't make it stop.

That was only in the hands of Luka and the boy had a huge grudge against the vampire and his best friend.  
Finally Stefan passed out with pain.

Katherine knelt close to him and stroked his cheek "Too bad you never cared for me like I cared for you. Enough to turn you... it's only fair that I take that gift back now" she said and moved her hand to join the other clutching the stake, she swiftly staked him slowly turning him grey.

A loud thud made her look behind and she saw Damon standing there with a heart in his hand, she looked at the floor and saw Luka dead.  
"Damon..." she whispered not expecting the surprise.

"Bitch" Damon said and threw the heart away.  
He flashed and she moved away from Stefan and Damon, the blue-eyed vampire removed the stake fast and touched his brother's face.

"Start praying that I took it out in time" he hissed at her.  
"I forgot how to pray a long time ago Damon" she said feeling the wall behind her.

Damon twisted his lips into a dark smile "It's easy... starts with... please Damon, kill me already" he said and pushed the stake into her shoulder.  
Katherine moaned in pain but didn't scream, she panted when Damon staked her again in the stomach.

He dragged her by her hair and picked her up, he placed her inside the old marble tomb with Klaus mother and closed it on them.  
"DAMON" Katherine screamed.

"Don't go anywhere, I have to check on my brother" he said and left the yelling vampire trapped inside.  
He worriedly knelt by his brother still looking grey.

* * *

Elena looked at the message and tried to be discrete about her panic attack, she smiled at Elijah "Caroline is just worried about me".

Elijah politely smiled at her "You should call her"  
"I don't really have much connection here... can we stop for a little while? I could use the bathroom as well" she said looking at the gas station coming up in front of them.

Elijah nodded and turned the wheel there, he swiftly parked the car and looked at her "Coffee?"  
Elena smiled "Yes" she placed her hair behind her ear.

Elijah left the car at the same time but went inside the building and Elena watched him, she quickly dialled Bonnie's number "Are you sure about this?"  
Bonnie quickly filled her in on all the things going on back home and the ones regarding her and she felt her heart race.

She touched her face worried and then she remembered the Original she was supposed to be watching.  
"I'll call you in a minute Bonnie" she said and ended her call.

She gave Elijah a nervous stare, he easily handed her the coffee.  
She was shaking when she took it "Are you allowing me one last wish before you rip my heart out?"

Elijah sighed and had a sip from his cup "I'm not going to kill you Elena"  
"We had this talk already, when you first came into town and you said you wouldn't allow another Katherine situation"

Elijah easily kept drinking and looking at Elena "We haven't shared a bed yet Elena, so you are not Katerina"  
Elena felt her cheeks burn and she knew it wasn't from the jittery in her.

"What happens now? I know that my blood can make hybrids" she said using the coffee only to warm her now.  
"For that to happen my father must kill Niklaus and I'm not allowing that to happen. There has been a lot of confusion regarding the Petrova blood... I confided the truth in my two youngest siblings, Kol told Katerina when she seduced him"

Elena finally drank her coffee "Your father came for them and he almost killed Kol"  
Elijah grimaced "We can't go back Elena, he mustn't get to you"

"I don't want to be used in a sacrifice Elijah" she clutched her cup.  
He looked at her serious "I can't allow you to be used in one Elena because that would imply losing Niklaus"

"If the time comes, you will kill me? If Mikael gets to me? I don't want to be used to create more evil" she was fierce now.  
Elijah took a step closer to her; he gently stroked her cheek "That's what Katerina said before she convinced me to turn her..."

"I am not her" Elena said upset.  
"No, you are not..." he said with a smile.

* * *

Klaus stepped outside the car watching all the werewolves that stood there waiting for him.

The huge group of men and women parted as soon as he reached the crowd, they parted for their Alpha and he easily took his place, walking inside between his pack ready to die for him.

He had left Yanna back home watching over the house and his family, until they left town.  
She was to watch over Caroline above all.

His woman flashed to his mind but he couldn't think properly and like a soldier when she was around, she had the means to talk him into anything and he needed to be cold and ruthless when he faced Mikael.

He didn't have to wait long; a werewolf came inside interrupting his drink.  
"He's here" he simply said waiting for his orders.

"Well let him in, we shouldn't keep my father waiting" Klaus said with an acid smile.  
Mikael smugly walked in, he was wearing a dark blue suit and his evilness on his sleeve.

He came closer to Klaus "Hello Niklaus" he said easily.  
"Hello Mikael" he returned the easiness.

"Interesting place you have here" Mikael said looking around and taking in the rest of the pack in the space.  
"Do you wish for a drink?" Klaus said picking his alcohol up from the counter "Perhaps something to eat or a stake right into your cold dead heart"

Mikael gave Klaus a stern look "Always the funny one"  
"Actually that's Kol but I understand your confusion, it happens when you are such a lousy father" Klaus finished his drink.

"I didn't have much choice, the Gods gave me nothing but a bunch of cowards and insolent kids that never listened to me" Mikael said acidly.  
"It was hard listening through the sound of whip cutting flesh everyday" Klaus said and it came out a lot heavier in pain than he imagined it would.

Mikael rolled his eyes annoyed "You were all conceived for a reason and not even for that you were useful"  
Klaus clenched his jaw mad, even after all this time; his father still had the power to make him feel worthless and unwanted.

"_No one cares for you boy. No one ever will. You always let me down you are nothing but a pathetic excuse of a son to me. You will never be worthy of love"_

Mikael's words raced through Klaus mind and he suddenly wished that he had brought Caroline along with him because she was the only one able to make him feel different.

"You have a powerful pack under your belt, I give you that" Mikael said looking at the ones inside the club ready to start fighting.  
Klaus smiled "That's not all I have" he said spiking the older man's interest just enough.

Mikael pulled his eyebrows together "I guess Katherine wasn't that smart in the end... such a shame... she was a valuable ally" Mikael said shaking his head.  
"I'm sure she will be missed" Klaus simply said.

"She was very close to me and I shall enjoy having my revenge for her death but we should focus on the other heart I want" Mikael said locking his eyes with Klaus.  
"I'm sorry old man, my heart already belongs to someone else" Klaus taunted him amused.

A big eerie smile came to Mikael "Are you talking about the pitiable human that Finn killed the first time around and..." his smile became unnatural, dark as evil itself "...that _I _killed this time around?"

Klaus chest rose along with his heavy breathing, his mind was a mass confusion of hate and surprise but also true disbelief.  
He couldn't understand what he had done that it was so wrong to deserve this from both his father and his older brother, other than being born.

"I must admit I was intrigued to why Finn always lusted over this one woman and when I pulled the pillow away from her dead face, I did take one long look at the girl. She is beautiful, I give you that and she died quietly..." Mikael said taking pleasure in his son's visible pain.  
Klaus licked his lips "I know, I felt it when she died"

"Maybe she will feel it too when you die or maybe she won't even bother... this epic love is pure nonsense. The witches are good at their craft and she is with you because they wanted it that way" Mikael taunted Klaus, wanting to seed doubts in his mind.  
"She's with me because she loves me" Klaus let out in a rare vulnerable moment and he cursed himself for having it with Mikael.

Mikael laughed loudly "Love? What do you know about love boy? About loyalty? Whose loyalty do you have but those you forge to be by your side? Where is this epic love of your life that keeps dying on you?"

"Right here"  
Mikael went serious as the blonde woman came inside the Club, Klaus licked his lips not sure if what he felt was anger as Caroline walked towards him.

She stopped next to Klaus and gave Mikael a smile, Mikael squint and heard the rest of them coming in, he faced his youngest, Rebekah and Kol.  
He knew he would still be alive, he just didn't expect him to stand here weak but with that petulant defying smile of his.

How he would love to put him back into his place, all of them but there was a time and a place for everything.  
"I'll give the happy family some alone time, so you can all say goodbye to Niklaus. I'll be collecting his heart soon" Mikael said smiling and left.

Caroline clasped her lips, she didn't want to give in but Mikael's threats rang so much danger to her.  
"What are you doing here?" Klaus snapped looking at everyone.

"You are not alone, you have never been and no matter what you do to push everyone away; we still love you. Deal with it and get me a drink, my chest is still hurting like I was stabbed too many times" Kol said and sat down on one of the couches; he rested the back of his head against it and moaned loudly.

"Go get us something to drink" Rebekah ordered one of the werewolves.  
He growled at her.

"He's not your private slave Rebekah" Klaus said mad but looking at Caroline now.  
"You were an ass back at home so you owe us all. If I want to turn one of your wolves into my very personal slave, I bloody will" she snapped.

Klaus shot his eyes to her furious.  
"I'm not afraid of that serial killer look so don't bother" she defied him.

"Leave us" he said between his teeth and the pack left the four of them alone "Why are you all here?" Klaus was raging but keeping it tamed.

Kol touched his sore chest "We all know what you are doing, you are doing what you did as human, make father focus on you instead of us. I must admit the torture session made me have an entire new level of respect for all the times you took a beating for us but we aren't human any more and though I will kick your ass when I'm feeling better for taking so long to give me your blood you are not alone in this. If he wants your heart, he has to rip all of ours before he gets yours"

Klaus shook his head "I should have let you die" he said and walked away mad.  
Caroline silently followed him to the office and looked at him quietly.

"Did you put them up for this?" he asked serious.  
Caroline shook her head.

"Why would you come in here knowing my father was here, have you not learned anything Caroline?" he yelled.  
"I love you and I'm not leaving you. I said I would follow you into death and I will" she simply said.

Klaus closed his eyes, he wanted to stay mad at her, to yell at her but he never felt as strong as he did when she was by his side.  
He opened his eyes feeling her wrap her hands around him and nest her head on his chest, he laced his arms around her as well and kept her where she belonged, with him.

* * *

Jeremy sighed in his sleep and turned on his back, it was a hot night and he pushed the sheet away from his hot body.

He sleepily opened his eyes, for a moment he didn't know where he was and he licked his lips, he had an urge he couldn't explain.  
He got up and went downstairs to have water, he irrationally wanted to smoke and he found it weird.

Jeremy smiled because his grandparents were sleeping on the couch with the TV on, he shook his head "You fell asleep watching TV again?" he asked turning it off.

He rested the remote and looked at them; he jumped when he saw them with their throats slit.  
He gasped in horror and walked to them, touching them slowly, the blood covering his hand.

Then he looked up and saw Tyler, he shook his head not understanding any of it.

But before he spoke to the boy clutching a bloody knife in his hand, someone grabbed him and he felt blood in his mouth, he choked disgusted and coughed when he was released but then everything went black.

All he felt was a sharp pain in his neck.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Belief – _Gavin DeGraw_

Feel – _Robbie Williams _


	30. Desire

"Are you sure about this?" Kol asked Caroline looking at the building where the Gym was.

Caroline nodded closing the passenger door to his car "I need to do this"  
"Clean up after a party that we didn't go?" he asked putting his keys away.

She laughed at his silly ways "Rebekah is in charge to the cleaning committee and I need to try to reconnect with her. We need to make this work because I'm not leaving Nik and she's not being very kind about that"

"She' s always been like that with Nik" Kol said and held the door for Caroline.  
"Thank you good sir" she teased him with a gentle move of her knees.

Kol bowed solemnly "I am one to please fair lady"  
"So I've heard" She said quickly and looking attentively at him savoring his reaction.

Kol was smiling but she could see the slight shade of embarrassment in him "Girls do talk"  
Caroline giggled "You like my friend" she pointed at him with her finger.

"Your friend is hot" he said trying to focus on the second main reason he was so uncomfortable talking about Bonnie.  
Caroline laughed loudly pushing the door to the gym open, she was so on to him.

Rebekah gave them a scolding look as they came inside the really dirty gym "What are you doing here?"  
Caroline eased down from her laughter and looked at Kol who encouraged her with a smile.

"We came to help you" she easily said and picked one of the black bags, starting on one side of the gym.  
Rebekah wasn't impressed or happy about it but kept picking the red cups from the dance floor.

Kol looked at both girls and sighed with the heavy tension between them that kept busy just that they didn't look at each other; he looked at the stage and smiled.  
"It looks like it was a big party" Caroline ventured on her mission.

Rebekah closed another full bag "Yes, I paid for everything and they went and turned my 20's theme into a silly 70's whatever nonsense party"  
Caroline smiled, the blonde was really upset "I'm sorry that you didn't get to organize it"

She smiled sadly "It's not like we were attending it anyway…"  
Caroline came closer to her "There will be other dances…"

Rebekah looked at her with a mean smile "Just because you managed to convince Nik to give you the blood that saved Kol doesn't mean I have to be your friend now"

"We got along before you remembered who I was Bekah… remember that day in the woods? You wanted me as your sister-in-law and gave me this speech about how perfect I would be for him" Caroline tried to reach out to the Original.

"My brother deserves better than some girl he loved as human and that he thinks he owes her something now" she said clasping her lips.  
Caroline sighed and went back to her side of the gym, resuming to her cleaning.

Rebekah looked at her; she felt nothing but hate for the silly blonde that stole Klaus heart so easily.  
Caroline shoved the cups inside the bag with tears burning in her throat "Brady almost killed me that day while you were all inside the tomb" she whispered.

Rebekah looked up from her chore.  
"He was going to kill me but he was going to have some fun with me first and Nik killed him, he saved me and he had no reason to do it. We do have a huge past behind us but we fell in love all over again and I will not give him up Rebekah"

The blonde Original looked down from Caroline in silence.  
A loud sound pulled both girls from their moment and they looked at the stage, Kol had fussed around the DJ stand and now the Gym was filled with music.

Caroline smiled at him "What are you doing?"  
"We need music" he simply said and grabbed Rebekah's hand pulling her to him, she fought him but he was swift and she found herself reluctantly dancing to an Elvis remix, she rolled her eyes, even the music choice these silly girls made was appalling.

Caroline smiled warmly at the two siblings playfully scorning each other but Kol pulled a smile out of Rebekah and then a laughter as he dipped her down and pulled her back up.  
"You are a terrible dancer Kol" she said laughing.

"I'm an outstanding dancer Bekah, everyone in our family is" he said smugly.  
"I guess you had time to learn between plotting to take over the world" Matt said with a chuckle coming inside the gym.

He came near Caroline and smiled at her "I came to help with the cleaning. I missed you guys last night; Bonnie and I were the only ones in here"  
Caroline sighed closing her full bag "We had to leave town for Original business"

Matt easily shrugged "Ok…" he looked at Rebekah and Kol that now danced easily and actually happy.  
He smiled watching the way Rebekah laughed and how her hair waved as she twirled around and Caroline realized it.

She came near the two siblings "Mind if I cut in? There's someone who wants to dance with Bekah"  
They looked behind her at the guy removing the shiny stars that dangled from the ceiling.

Rebekah smiled fixing her straight hair and went to Matt, Kol shrugged and grabbed Caroline's hand; he raised an eyebrow and smiled when Caroline followed his lead, dancing happily with him.  
"Caroline said you wanted to dance with me?"

Matt looked down from where he was "She…" he looked at her and she was shaking her hips in a funny way with Kol mimicking Elvis.  
Rebekah grimaced and meant to turn around, she was no good at this human crap.

But Matt quickly reacted and stepped down reaching his hand to her "Will you give me the honor Miss Mikaelson?"  
She smiled fixing her hair and nodded.

He laced his arm around her and though they were supposed to be dancing fast to the beat of the song, they were slow dancing to it.  
"How was the party?" she asked slowly.

"Boring and uninteresting" he said with a smile "I wish you would have been here"  
Rebekah could swear she was blushing now "Matt… this isn't a good idea"

"I've heard that one before, next you will say that it's not me but you"  
A sad smile took over her "It's not me Matt, it's my father and everyone that wants us dead. It's not safe for a human to be friends with the family"

Matt showed his incredible smile and she hated him for it.  
"I don't want to be just a friend to the family"

She wasn't able to look at him in the eyes "I may have a thousand years behind me as a vampire but I'm still very new at this… I only had one long-term relationship and Damon broke my heart"

Matt cupped her chin and she was forced to look at him "I'm pretty new at this too Bekah, I never dated a vampire before"  
She smiled at his silly remark "You don't want this…"

"I don't know what I want, how can you?" he looked at her with those two really blue piercing eyes of his.  
And Rebekah was a bit lost in them, in him, in the promise of what could be but their moment was interrupted with the other late addition to the cleaning party.

Bonnie closed the door behind her with a raised eyebrow "I thought I was late but apparently you guys are busy with everything but cleaning" she crossed her arms upset.  
They all laughed because she was right.

* * *

"Damon let me out" Katherine yelled from inside the tomb.

"Hold on to your panties Kat" Damon said looking at his brother.  
"How are you feeling?" Klaus asked handing Stefan a blood bag.

Stefan rubbed the back of his neck uneasily "Not very well… being impaled was not on my wish list"  
Both Damon and Klaus smiled at him.

"Where do you think she has hidden the heart?" Stefan asked finishing another blood bag easily.  
"Let's find out" Klaus said and moved to the marble tomb.

Damon helped him open it and Katherine wished she could stay trapped inside now.  
"Hello Katerina, where is my mother's heart?" Klaus asked resting his elbows lazily on the tomb edge.

Katherine slowly sat up "Safe…"  
Klaus sighed "I don't have time for this Katherine; I have a ravenous father breathing on my neck. I'm not fond of that and you have something that I want"

"I'll make you a deal. Let me go and I'll call you once I am out of this town safe with the location" she tried to bargain with him.  
Klaus moved so fast she was choking before she could even react.

He squeezed her throat so tight that she was about to pass out "Tell me where the heart is and I'll kill you fast"  
She was terrified with his deal terms and the worst was that she couldn't do much about it and she was unable to fight him when he widen his eyes compelling her "Where have you hidden it?"

"Tyler placed it inside the underground caves where no vampire can go in" she numbly said.  
"Thank you love" Klaus said smiling and then stroked her chin almost lovingly.

There was a flick of a moment where she was confused to why she wasn't dead yet but Klaus had more important issues to handle.

He was by his car already when Damon grabbed her arms and Stefan staked her, they left her trapped inside the marble grave with Esther's dead body.

* * *

Caroline picked the last red cup in the gym and smiled happy that they all cleaned the place so fast.

The others were busy talking and putting away the decorations so she took the last bag to the trash, Rebekah saw her leave and hesitated but went after her after a few indecisive minutes, neither of them noticed the salt in the floor.

Caroline left the gym humming a song through the empty hall, she left the bag with the others and came inside the school again; she was checking her cell when a flash shoved her against the lockers.

She lost her breath and her cell; she shook her head focusing and gulped down.  
Finn smiled at her "Missed me?"

Caroline gulped down while Rebekah hid watching them.

* * *

Elena woke up after a few hours of sleep and looked around the room, Elijah was standing there watching her.

She sat up and awkwardly smiled at him "Shouldn't you be watching the window or something? You can't see the incoming enemies when you are watching me sleep"  
Elijah smiled "I was just checking on you"

Elena rolled her eyes on him "I'm fine Elijah"  
He took the hot coffee cup from the nightstand and handed it to her "You just said goodbye to a brother. I know that you are not fine"

She smiled and took the coffee, she placed her hair behind her ear slowly "You right, I'm not fine but I don't have a choice, none of us do. I can't lose Jeremy as well…"

Elijah sat next to her on the bed "I've met many people in my long existence but I never met anyone like the three of you. Bonnie, Caroline and you are very intriguing"  
Her index played with the sheet embroidery "I don't do well with compliments Elijah"

"I know you will find strength in the fact that you did this to protect your brother so that will push you forward and I would appreciate if you realised that you are not alone Elena" he said with a warm tone to his voice.

She smiled at him and took a sip from her coffee, it warmed her chest but maybe it wasn't the hot beverage, maybe it was the handsome Original in the suit sitting so closely to her.

"I'm happy you are here with me Elijah" she said low, fighting the blushing that was coming.  
He smiled without looking at her, he was looking ahead of him but she still could see how honest he was "It was my pleasure lovely Elena"

And the blushing finally came, she reacted to the way he said her name and she knew it was wrong, it was all sorts of wrong but it wasn't the first time she reacted so strongly to Elijah.

"Where are we going next?" she whispered keen on hiding how much she was loving her alone time with him.  
"I thought we could get you some breakfast before any major decisions" he said and finally looked at her.

Elena met his gaze and played with her Vervain bracelet, she probably would say something that would give her away too much but her cell started ringing.  
She smiled awkwardly and reached for it, frowning when she saw Jeremy's name on the screen.

She frowned and touched that green button "Yes?"  
But it wasn't her brother on the other side, it was a deep unfamiliar voice instead.

_"Elena? I have your brother and his life is on your hands so I suggest you come back to Mystic Falls as soon as possible"_  
"Who is this?" she asked getting up from the bed hastily.

Elijah squint and she pushed the speaker button.  
_"Mikael. Tell my son Elijah that I look forward to see him again"_

And with that he ended the call, Elena looked at Elijah in shock and felt her heart race because Elijah wasn't his usual calm self, he was serious and ready to go into battle.

* * *

Caroline lost her fight with Finn like all other times and touched her head dizzy as he slammed her harshly against the lockers for a second time.

"Who undaggered you?" she looked at him straightening herself up.  
"Someone magical" he said with a smile and licked his lips.

Caroline felt nauseated like always with his lust "What do you want Finn?"  
Stupid question really but she almost hoped he would say something different.

"That you stop fighting me" he said and came closer to Caroline.  
She clicked her teeth "Give up already Finn, I belong to your brother"

Finn punched the locker next to her face, ruining the metal around his fist; she didn't budge looking at him.  
Finn removed his hand from the locker and touched her face, she pushed him away but he was stronger than her and he grabbed her chin "Niklaus isn't around this time to save you and if you are a good girl, I might not kill you after I'm done with you"

Caroline clasped her lips mad and pushed his hand away, this time he didn't fight her.  
"I've waited a long time for this Caroline… today I'm getting what I want"

She shook her head "Why can't you just leave me alone Finn?"  
He tilted his head "Because I love you Caroline… I've loved you since the first time I saw you, with your blonde long hair, the white flower in your braid, the way you were smiling…"

She opened her mouth gasping realizing he would never give up.  
"When I was with Sage, I called her Caroline… did you know that? It was your name that I called…" he said looking at her irresistible lips.

She pulled her eyebrows together shocked "You are so sick Finn…"  
His expression became serious "If you are counting on my brother to come for the rescue, there is a spell being cast right now on the outside, no one can come inside the school or leave the gym for that matter so I have a lot of time to spend on you" he looked down on her cleavage.

Caroline tried getting away but he quickly grabbed her hair and snapped her neck.  
She fell unconscious and he picked her up in his arms.

"I was counting on doing this with you at least a bit conscious but I'm hoping you will wake up half way through" he said carrying her away.

* * *

"What do you mean I can't go out?" Kol said opening the door to the gym.

_"Someone cast a spell, you need to tell Bonnie to work her way around it"_ Rebekah said from the other side of the call.  
Kol ended the call mad and knelt; he touched the salt line in front of the gym and clenched his fist.

Bonnie joined him at the door "Maybe it's only for vampires"  
Matt moved his foot and looked at them "What can I do?"

"You need to go to my house and bring the white stake we have there" Kol said and handed him his car keys.  
Matt looked at him in a funny way moving to the other side of the salt line "I have a car"

Kol squint "You have an ancient machine that is more likely to break if you push it too hard, take my car"  
Matt wasn't happy with the offensive remark about his beloved truck but he took the keys, Kol at the last second held them back though.

"It's a Ferrari, if I see a single scratch in it; I will kill you after this" he said sternly.  
Matt solemnly nodded, he understood his concern.

Bonnie rolled her eyes at the silly car talk and stepped outside the gym.  
Matt started running down the hall and she was going to follow him.

"I need a few things to break this spell, I'm going to try Alaric's old office, I hope they haven't thrown everything away yet"  
"You shouldn't be running around alone" Kol said serious.

She smiled at him "I can't take you with me Kol"  
"Be quick about it" he said looking around.

She nodded and ran down the hall.  
He took in a deep breath trying to push himself through the door but he was blocked by an invisible wall, he quickly dialed his brother's number.

* * *

Finn watched the beautiful woman lying on top of the table, he touched her hair, her face, ran the back of his hand down her collarbone and over her cleavage, he couldn't help the way his mouth watered with her beauty and perfection.

Klaus didn't deserve her, she should have never been his and after he finally had her, he would make sure Klaus would mourn her death once again.

He easily ripped her shirt apart and gasped with the sight of her pink underwear, he was shaking now that she was at his mercy like this.  
He was panting when he pulled her closer to him and his eyes rested on the rim of her denim tight Jeans.

This was the moment he had dreamed every night, the moment he had imagined trapped inside his eternal sleep daggered inside a coffin.  
His sweating hands came near her Jeans buttons.

"FINN" Rebekah yelled at him.  
He slowly turned to face her "What do you want? I'm busy"

She gave him a disgusted look "I took you for a lot of things but I never imagined my own brother would scoop so low"  
"Go away" he hissed mad at her and turned to Caroline still unconscious.

"Get away from her" she yelled mad at him.  
Finn clenched his teeth mad and moved away from Caroline, he faced his sister furious "I'm ending what you set me on to do when you pulled that dagger out of my chest the first time"

"I sent you to kill her… not for this" she spat with despise for him.  
Finn came at her mad, he grabbed her throat "I'm about to forget that we are related and kill you so I suggest you look away while I do what I please with her "

Rebekah frowned at him not giving away that Caroline was finally coming to her senses "I won't allow you to do this Finn"

He snarled at her but Rebekah released his hands on her and quickly came at him, they fought each other and he staggered enough for her to pin him against the wall, she heard the noise of a chair breaking and Caroline flashed shoving that wood into Finn's chest.

She helped the other blonde and they both managed to momentarily incapacitate Finn.  
He turned grey and slid to the floor, sitting against the wall lifeless for now.

"We need to get out of here…" Rebekah said to a numb Caroline.  
Caroline nodded and covered her chest with her arm, she kept her tears away; she wouldn't show weakness before Rebekah.

* * *

Klaus paced around like a rabid dog, he tried to get through the invisible wall that kept him outside to where Caroline was.

Bonnie came running towards him "Everything that belonged to Alaric is gone, his office is empty and I don't have what I need to break the spell"  
Klaus gave her a vicious look "You better find a way to get me in there"

She clasped her lips tight "I'm trying"  
Klaus tilted his head raging, he tried to push himself through the barrier and she was happy for a second that he couldn't, he looked ready to kill her.

"I need time to break it"  
"Get me in there Bonnie" he said pointing at the building.

"I told you that I'm working on it" she said upset.  
"That's your friend in there with my brother, you better find a way or I will sever your body into pieces once you step into my reach" his voice was heavy on that darkness so known to him.

Bonnie gulped down watching Matt arrive.  
"I need your blood" she told Klaus focusing on her magic and he bit into his hand.

She took it and dropped his blood on top of the salt hoping this would work because she was this close to end up as food to the hybrid.

* * *

Rebekah and Caroline rushed through the hall, they ran towards the exit but Finn was already yelling for them closely behind.

They stopped as they turned the last corner because Matt was waiting for them with Yana and her pack.  
They slowed down and the pack parted for them to go through.

Caroline stopped by the door, she looked down on her shirt and tried to do something about it but it was completely ruined.

She didn't want Klaus to see her like this; she peeked outside and saw him raging at Bonnie like a mad man, on edge because he was forbidden to go inside.

Rebekah watched Caroline and in a small breakthrough moment realized how much Caroline loved Klaus.  
She was ready to hide what almost happened just so she wouldn't hurt him with the truth; Rebekah turned around and grabbed one of the girls in the pack.

The girl looked at her surprised with the firm hold on her arm.  
"Give me your shirt" Rebekah demanded.

The girl gave her a side look.  
"Give me your shirt or I will tell my brother to outcast you from the pack" she hissed upset.

The girl slowly looked down on the floor and then took her shirt off; she went back to her pack wearing only a white cotton bra.  
Rebekah handed the shirt to Caroline with a small smile.

Caroline took it slowly and smiled at Rebekah "Thank you… for everything"  
The blonde Original quickly shrugged it off "It will stay between us, no one needs to know what happened. Now go, he's about to lose it and set Bonnie on fire"

Caroline smiled and changed shirts, she ran outside to him.  
Klaus finally was able to breathe when he saw her.

Bonnie released his hand happy that the spell was broken.  
The relief Klaus felt when Caroline ran towards him, finding comfort in his arms was overwhelming.

He held her close to him "Are you all right?"  
"Yes" she said against his chest but unable to part from his embrace.

Klaus closed his eyes, the question came slowly because it pained him "Did he try anything Caroline?"  
She closed her eyes for a second, building up the courage to lie to him, she pulled away from him slowly "No"

And then she smiled burying the guilt of deceiving him, it would be the last time she did so but she needed him to believe her lie "Your sister got to us before he even tried anything"  
It took him a second to react but she was relieved when he nodded and smiled back at her.

She looked at Bonnie and smiled at her friend as well, both friends hugged happy that they made it through another day.

* * *

Rebekah took her place next to Matt and waited for the smug older brother that laughed with the committee waiting for him.

"Niklaus sent his wolves to kill me? And a human? How sad" he said annoyed.  
Yanna looked at her pack and nodded; the first four stepped in front of Matt and Rebekah and launched themselves at Finn.

The fight was unfair to them and he easily ended them but the next four were already in his face, he ended them not as easily because he had four more circling him like a prey, they all had knives dipped in Vervain and used them to make small deep cuts on his arms, his face, his legs and he started getting tired and the pain of it started to hit him.

The last four moved in and they helped the others, one of them managed to cut his chest just above his heart and he staggered in pain.

Yanna finally joined the fight and the close circle around Finn, she swiftly dodged his fangs and sliced across his belly, he screamed in pain and Matt came to them with the stake ready to finish him off but Yanna stepped in front of him.

"We have orders" she simply said.  
There was a quizzical look on Matt's face.

"Our Alpha said we are to make him suffer, bleed before we kill him" she said and took the stake from him.  
Matt saw the pack surrounding him, still fighting him, dodging his advances and swiftly cutting him, wounding him enough to bring him down to his knees.

He swallowed and turned around, this wasn't his fight.

The werewolves took the iron chains they brought and laced them around his neck, the girl wearing only her bra made a deep cut on his throat and he started bleeding massively.

"Rebekah…" he whispered at her knowing his hour was coming.  
"Good bye brother" Rebekah said and turned around leaving them behind.

He clenched his jaw suppressing a scream as they all moved in on him digging their knives into his back.  
Yanna faced him with a smile "My Alpha has a message for you"

"What does my pathetic brother have to tell me on my dying hour?" he said between pants.  
"That you should have never touched Caroline" she said and the wolves grabbed his hands, she was fast and swift cutting off his right hand.

She came near the screaming man now "Nor looked at her" she hissed and he was yelling before they did what her words doomed.

He was short of one hand and one eye when she finally pushed the stake into his chest and he began to burn in the middle of a cold and brutal pack under Klaus orders.  
They waited until there was nothing left but ashes.

* * *

"How are you holding up?" Matt asked turning his engine off in front of her house.

Rebekah smiled "I'm all right... It was a strange day"  
Matt wasn't sure how to address the death of a brother so he just smiled at her but it was better than a thousand words, she found comfort in it.

"So… are you asking me out or not?" she asked returning his smile.  
Matt chuckled "I thought I didn't want this"

"You can blame it on the strange traumatic day" she said with a sweet smile.  
He found it so enchanting that he wanted to pull a lot more of these from her "A date huh?"

"Yes, I want the entire human experience" she said with determination.  
"Very well… Rebekah will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?" he asked in that deep voice of his.

She smiled scanning his face, the strong features and the big lips.  
"I'll be ready at seven" she said and left the old truck.

She was grinning all the way to the house.

* * *

Bonnie was also being dropped off at her house by the ever charismatic young Mikaelson.

She looked at him not sure what to tell him "I'm sorry about Finn…" she said softly.  
Kol shrugged "He was different from all of us; even my father didn't like him. Believe me... that is saying a lot"

She softly chuckled "Well I'm still sorry and I think I know who was behind the spell"  
"You do?"

"When I was trying to break it, I tapped into the energy of it and I recognized it, it was either Luka or his father" she said looking down on her lap.  
"I'm not surprised, I always found Harry Potter wet" he said annoyed.

Bonnie chuckled again and looked outside her window.  
"So… did you _feel _his energy a lot?" Kol asked trying to sound casual.

She looked at him serious "Are we really going to talk about that? Do we need to compare my small human experience in this energy _feeling_ against your 1000 years of expertise in all kinds of energy _feeling_?"  
He raised his hand from the wheel "I guess we can skip it"

She smiled now "Yes, we can"  
She moved her hand to the door and he sighed.

"All right, I think I sort of like you" he awkwardly stumbled his words out.  
Bonnie bit her lip before facing him "Well, I am sort off lattered" she said using her best poker face.

He touched his wild hair "I was… worried about you today"  
She gulped down with his words and his hand running through his hair, wishing it was hers instead.

"Do you want to come inside?" she asked sweetly.  
"Yes" he said and opened his door fast.

She shook her head "There will not be any sex tonight Kol, I just did a powerful spell and I'm tired… I just don't feel like being alone tonight" she confessed.  
He smiled and she saw an honesty that hurt her heart.

"It will be a pleasure to not have sex with you Bonnie"  
She laughed and shook her head "You are so silly"

He followed her with a happy smile, it was a compliment anyway.  
"So am I allowed to kiss you or is that on the black list for tonight?" he asked easily closing the door behind him.

"Shut up Kol" she said going into the kitchen.  
"I can't talk either? This will be a fun night" he took his jacket off, dropping it on the couch.

She sighed coming out of the kitchen, she walked to him barefoot now and cupped his face, she kissed him a little more roughly than he was expecting and he liked it a lot.

She took her time kissing him and ended with a smaller second kiss, she stroked his hair and looked at him "You can kiss me, just no sex tonight"  
He played with her shirt, his hands in her back strongly just how she liked it "Touching isn't sex"

She rolled her eyes and left to the kitchen again to make dinner and he followed her enjoying his very different night.

* * *

Caroline checked the water and it didn't feel cold or hot to her, she was starting to let everything sync in and how much Finn had put her through since the day he laid eyes on her.

Klaus came inside the bathroom and laced his arms around her, she easily leaned against him.  
"My second just called, he's dead. He will never hurt you again Caroline" he whispered.

She closed her eyes and pulled his arm stronger around her, she wanted to feel him closer.  
Klaus gently turned her around "What are you hiding from me?"

She was surprised with his question "Nothing that I want to ever remember again. He can't hurt me now and I don't have to keep being afraid of the day he might… if I tell you, his threat becomes real somehow and even dead he will succeed and get between us with his obsession over me Niklaus and I don't want that"

Klaus jaw showed how much he was mad, she smiled and stroked his stubble.  
"He did not win, no matter how many times he tried to have me, even after he killed me, we are still here Niklaus, together"

He stroked her chin slowly and she moved her hand to the back of his neck, she would not think of Finn ever again after tonight and this would be her biggest victory.  
This was the last thought she was ever wasting on him.

She pulled Klaus into the shower with her, their clothes getting soaking wet under the strong hot steamy stream; her hands traced his chest slowly, the shirt sticking to his muscles.

Klaus pulled her shirt over her head, he knew she wanted to forget about the awful day and that she needed this to put it all behind.

His shirt was taken from his body a lot rougher, she tore it apart from him and claimed his mouth kissing him roughly as well.

He didn't miss the urgency in her and turned her around, he kissed her neck, her shoulders and quickly removed her bra, he caressed her not lingering there and she was thankful for it, she really needed him in a way that wasn't gentle and sweet, just urgent and intense.

His hands moved quickly to her Jeans and he kissed down her back as he knelt removing the denim tight item.  
She was panting already with desire, his hands moved along her body as he stood up again, she only stopped feeling them on her body when he moved to take his own remaining clothes.

"Turn around" he whispered in her ear.  
She was shuddering when she faced him and he picked her up, she laced her legs around him and then she was sweetly pinned against the wall gasping and moaning loudly with every urgent move of his.

She pulled his wet hair and groaned because he was moving fast and deep and she was so lost in him and his flawless back that she caressed hastily.

She was close and cradled his cheek; she looked into his deep blue eyes as he swiftly moved into her.  
He grazed her breast knowing how much she loved that and she was only a couple of thrusts away.

She clang to him feeling that invisible fire rip through her and rested her forehead against his.  
"I love you" she whispered stroking his wet hair.

Klaus kissed her slowly this time and closed the water, he moved them to the bed where he stroked her cheek and smiled.

"I love you sweetheart" he said and she smiled knowing everything else was behind her now.  
There was only Klaus and he was set on making love to her this time, slow and intense like only he was capable of.

**Soundtrack: **

A little less conversation - _Elvis Presley VS JXL_

Desire - _Ryan Adams_


	31. Priority

"What are your intentions towards my friend Bonnie?" Caroline asked sitting on the couch in front of Kol, she placed her boots on top of the table smiling.

Kol choked on his Scotch "My... my what?" he asked coughing the beverage that suddenly was too strong for him.  
"Are you going to marry her?" she asked trying to keep a straight face.

"If I'm going to… what?"  
"You had sex, you have to marry her now; she's already looking at wedding dresses" Caroline said serious.

Kol became a slight shade of green and she couldn't hold her laughter any longer.  
"Funny girl" he squinted at her.

She shook with laughter "The green shade suits your skin"  
He gave her an annoyed small laughter which was a big contrast to her loud one.

Klaus came inside the library ending a call and his expression was serious which left Caroline on edge and ended the easy moment.  
"That was Elijah… Mikael has Jeremy"

"No..." Caroline removed her feet from the table.  
"Elijah will take care of it sweetheart but I need to leave town with Yana. Mikael is gathering his own pack and Finn killed half of mine while he was in town. She's been in touch with a few packs and I want to meet them"

"Ok… I.. I'm going to call Elena" Caroline said slowly and left the library.  
Klaus licked his lips taking his time to do what he needed to do, slowly he faced his younger brother "If _anything _happens to her while I'm out-of-town…"

"I'll be her very shadow, I won't let anything happen to her" Kol said serious and Klaus nodded because it wasn't often that Kol was this serious.  
"I won't thank you for saving my life" he said ending his drink.

Klaus smiled and looked at the ground "I won't apologize for taking so long to do it"  
Both brothers smiled but neither would give in.

"Nice brother bonding moment" Kol chuckled and left the glass on the table.  
Both left the library and found Caroline ending her call with a sad face.

Klaus stopped by her side while Kol punched her arm playfully.  
"Cheer up Care, we'll get the kid back"

She smiled at him trying to believe that they hadn't lost another one in this endless war.  
"I'll wait in the car for you, we need to go buy you a leash" he smirked.

"A… huh?" Caroline was lost watching him leave; she looked at Klaus desperate for an answer.  
Klaus rested his hands on her arms and gently brought her closer to him, she had a very raised eyebrow.

"I'm not leaving unless I'm sure that you will be all right while I'm gone"  
She broke into a smile with his concern "I'll be all right… I'll miss you and that awful big bed will feel a lot bigger but I'll be ok"

He smiled shaking his head "You are not making my life easier sweetheart"  
She touched his chest "It will be just like when you went hunting with Elijah and I was left waiting for days Niklaus, until you returned to me"

He cupped her face "I wasn't sharing a bed with you back then"  
"We didn't have phones back then either and I was left to entertain myself making braids and necklaces for you" she said with that wonderful smile of hers, touching at his necklaces.

Klaus hands moved to her back and he pulled her closer to him "I'll call you as soon as I get the chance and I´ll be back soon"

"Ok" she said making it harder for him to let her go because her big eyes were locked with his and it was mean that this was what he was taking with him as a memory but his Caroline always got her way and her hand on his face was bringing him closer to a kiss.

She as well was making sure she had a good memory of him to get by these upcoming days without him.  
It was a long kiss that neither wanted to break but that's how things always seemed with them, they were never allowed to be together without something against them, always beating the odds and running.

* * *

"How did you convince Kol to let you out of his sight?" Bonnie asked walking down the hall that led to the cells, the compelled guard even held the door for them.

Caroline smiled at him and then looked at Bonnie "I said I was with you, that seems to work wonders these days. His eyes sparkle when I mention you and then you get all blushing when I mention him and it's all so sweet and cute and I want to start making names for you both"

"Don't" Bonnie said and stopped "I'm serious, don't" she insisted.  
Caroline laughed easily "My best friend with my other best friend, heaven" she shrugged.

Bonnie touched her heated cheeks "Don't do that… nothing happened. I mean, nothing after that crazy day at the Grill"  
"So you didn't kiss him last night and fell asleep on the couch happily cuddled to his strong chest and in his strong arms?" she asked serious.

"No… we fell asleep in my bed… but nothing happened" she was quick to add.  
Caroline smiled victoriously.

"Oh you tricked me" Bonnie exasperated.  
"You both are so cute; trying to deflect from what's really going on between you two"

Bonnie pushed her hair behind her ear "I came here to do a spell not to gush out about your super hot brother-in-law"

Caroline laughed happy that she was on to them and came closer to the cell where she found her biological father reading a book.  
"Hey" she smiled at him.

"Caroline" he dropped his book and stood up happy to see her.  
"So I brought you a few things" she said and handed him a couple of books "I found these in your office and I brought you this as well" she took a stake from inside her black bag.

Alaric frowned but smiled "I never thought I would need this in here…"  
"We are having a bit of a situation with Klaus father and this is the safest place for you right now, Bonnie is performing a spell to prevent vampires to go into the cell but I want you to keep that stake… just in case"

Alaric smiled at her, it was nice that she was reaching out to him like this.  
Bonnie closed her eyes finishing the spell and Caroline came closer to Alaric "So… Jeremy was kidnapped and Elena is on the run with Elijah"

He shook his head "And I'm stuck in this place because that Original compelled me to kill… Jenna" he swallowed his pain.  
"He's dead now, Klaus took care of him" she smiled trying to comfort Alaric.

"How about you? Is everything ok with you?" he quickly asked and she felt warmth inside of her, he was worried about her and that was a good feeling to have.  
She nodded and smiled when he gently placed his hand over hers.

* * *

"So this was kind of out of the blue" Matt was suspicious as they walked further into the caves.

Kol had dragged him along without much information but still Matt had been a good sport and brought a flashlight and his small words.  
"I needed a human to get in there and retrieve our mother's heart"

Matt shook his flashlight "And I am the only human you know?"  
Kol smirked "You are the one taking my sister out on a date tonight"

"Ah… so the plan is to kill me and leave me in here after I get that heart for you?" Matt easily asked the Original.  
"No… the plan is to put God's fear into you so that you don't cross any lines with our youngest" Kol said and looked at Matt sizing the human.

Matt didn't show fear "Rebekah is free to make her own choices and old enough to handle a date alone"  
"You know that I can rip your heart out in a second or your head for that matter, don't you mate?"

"Yes"  
"Good, keep that in mind every time you think of touching my sister" Kol said really close to Matt.

The human still held his own "It's a date…"  
"If anything more than a kiss happens, I shall hunt you down tomorrow and kill you" Kol was determined.

Matt couldn't really believe the way this talk was going "That's being really protective of your sister"  
Kol smiled "She's very independent but we still are all very protective of her. Of our own, everyone wants to kill us so we stick together and protect each other"

"Who protects you from each other?" there was a teasing smile in Matt's lips now.  
Kol laughed "That's an entirely different story"

"I don't have any family left. My sister was killed in the beginning of all this but I was very protective of her, even when she didn't listen to me and got her way in everything. So I understand where you are coming from"  
"So we can agree to why I'm very skeptical of anyone getting too close to Bekah"

"I like her, she's cool and fun and she's hot" Matt said smiling but it waded down when Kol raised him an eyebrow "Dinner and a kiss on the doorstep. Are you ok with that? She wants the entire human experience"  
"Deal" Kol said reaching out his hand.

Matt took it and both men shook hands on a small compromise.  
Then Matt was all into business, wanting to get this done so he could focus on his date.

He ventured in front of Kol but the Original stopped him "Easy mate, I don't want to tell my sister that I got her date killed" he said and waved a hand, a few pointing spears came out of nowhere and hit the wall next to Matt.

He nodded "You should go ahead... my flashlight isn't working properly"  
Kol laughed and took the lead.

* * *

"I need to go back Elijah" Elena was pacing around the small space where Elijah had parked the car on the side of the road.

He was casually leaning against the door of the car which only made her more upset; his calm ways were driving her to exasperation.  
"You need to calm down Elena" he said in that calm voice of his.

Elena shook her head vehement "I can't. Not when Mikael has Jeremy"  
"You can't go back because that is what he is waiting for you to do Elena"

"He will kill Jeremy" She yelled touching agony.  
"He won't hurt him Elena"

She looked at him angrily "You don't know that"  
"I know my father and he needs leverage to use on you. He won't kill Jeremy as long as you don't step foot into Mystic Falls"

She shook her head and felt the tears approaching "I can't leave him in there, we need to go back and get him"  
Elijah finally moved from where he was and came closer to her, he touched her cheek "You trusted his life with me, I need you to trust yours as well"

She brought her eyebrows together "What are you saying Elijah?"  
"I can save Jeremy and you but you need to trust me and Niklaus"

"Klaus?"  
"Yes, we have a plan" Elijah said and she couldn't decide if she was more worried or relaxed now.

* * *

Klaus reached the mountain top with Yana and Stefan, the three of them had walked for hours and they finally reached the easy part.

Yana was tired but she didn't stay behind, she had to keep up with her Alpha, she placed a hand to her heart when they finally stopped, she was breathing hard but she had made it.  
Stefan gave her a warm smile, he was impressed with the girl; she smiled awkwardly at him and fixed her blonde hair.

Yana looked at her Alpha but he was truly impressed at something else.  
The large amount of werewolves waiting for him.

He actually lost count of how many were before him and they all seemed excited to see him.  
A tall black man came forward "My name is Wesley and I came from the North with my pack, I met two others on the way here and I know I speak in the name of them all, it's an honor to finally meet you. We pledge our loyalty to you"

Klaus smiled happy and nodded slightly at the man, he looked at Yana "Did you find the rest of them?"  
Yana nodded "Once I got the word out that you were gathering soldiers, they all came forward my Alpha"

Now he was impressed "I chose my Second well" he smiled playfully cupping her chin.  
Yana gulped down the huge wave of happiness she felt.

He lingered his fingers on her chin just a little longer and she felt everything burn when he moved away from her, Caroline was the luckiest girl in the entire planet; women would kill to have such a powerful man in love with them.

Stefan looked at his friend standing before his huge army "What now Klaus?"  
"You don't get an army to just go into battle old friend, you gather an army to win one" he said with a dark smile.

"So we go kill your father" Stefan said watching the men siring themselves to Klaus, one by one, all of them dropping blood in front of him.  
"We go kill Mikael and every last werewolf he has managed to sire on his behalf" Klaus sighed, all of this would be over soon.

* * *

Caroline could see the werewolves following her within a safe distance, it was mind-blowing that just a few months ago they were all on her face, making her life a living hell.

She reached the cemetery and held the flowers closer to her chest; the walk to her mother's grave was done slowly.  
With every step the pain was awakening inside her and she took a deep painful breath kneeling in front of the tombstone with her mother's name.

Liz would always be her mother, no matter what she found out after her death.  
Caroline placed the white roses, her mother's favorite on the ground and let that one tear fall down.

"I miss you mom" she whispered and stroked her mother's name.  
"I miss you so much…" she repeated letting the tears really come forward now.

She cleared all the leaves and the dirt away "So… I'm with Klaus now… it's a really long story but we found each other and we're in love and he makes me happy" she smiled through her tears.

"I've never been so happy mom and I wish you would be here to see it…" Caroline bit her lip "I'm trying to work things with Alaric… it's strange that I have a father I never knew and that he has been around all this time. Maybe we'll be good friends with time, maybe I'll come to see him as a father one day as well"

She was very serious all of a sudden "The new Sheriff is an idiot, some kid they sent from Denver and he has no idea how to run this town, urgh, no one will ever be as good as you mom" she ranted.  
She smiled, she wasn't crying anymore and she felt better now, she should come here more often, she decided she would.

"You should be ashamed to even be here" a voice startled her.  
Caroline stood up hastily to face the voice she knew too well.

Tyler had that hatred spread in his features and she returned it "What do you want traitor?"  
He laughed at her "That's a good one, you are the one doing tricks in the enemy's bed and I'm the traitor?"

"You knew who I was, who Klaus was. That we had been together as humans and that I was a reincarnation and still you kept telling me that he was just using me, that he would never fall for someone like me. I thought I hated you already for every time you made me feel like I was nothing but I really hate you now that you took Mikael's side"

"I took the winning side Caroline, not all of us are stupid enough to choose the wrong side twice"  
She squint mad at him "All the times you were mad at me, that you yelled at me without a good reason… all the times you made me have sex with you without giving a damn about me Tyler, you knew… you knew the truth and you never told me"

"Katherine came to find me when I turned 16 and she told me the truth about all of us. I didn't believe her at first, I thought she was just some stupid girl with brain issues but then…" he looked at Caroline in pain.

"The first time we were together, when you fell asleep you had a dream and you kept calling a name… Niklaus"  
Caroline clicked her teeth and felt the tears again in her eyes.

"You were never mine, your body was but you never truly were mine, you never gave yourself to me, you were just waiting for him..." he said between clenched angry teeth now "So I started getting mad and everything you did made angrier and then you stopped wanting sex because I got violent with you but this is who I am. I have all this anger built up inside of me and I don't know what to do with it, I'm a werewolf and anger is part of us"

She shook her head "You are wrong Tyler… Klaus isn't like that"  
He laughed drily "The man who killed Mason and did nothing to save the woman who you were morning just now?"

"He isn't like that with me…" She quietly said.  
He laughed again.

"I didn't know, I didn't remember and you used that against me, I was afraid of being alone with you because you got mad and yelled at me and all the times I gave in and we had sex is something I really don't want to remember ever again" she said slowly, never taking her eyes away from his.

She could see that boiling anger coming forward but she was done with him, she had her perfect man and she would never be afraid of him like she had been for years with Tyler.

Caroline turned and the group of werewolves was now closer to her, one of them nodded to her and she recognized him from **Cave**.

This tall and broad man followed her closely, the one Klaus had personally ordered to keep her safe and the rest of the pack stayed behind.

She took her cell and pressed one but quickly ended the call before it was connected, she didn't want to bother him with her silly things.

Tyler scolded the group of boys that used to be in his football team, that used to beg to be his pick, all of them now ready to fight him.

"Are you really going against me? For a man who you know nothing about?"  
One of the kids raised his hand and Tyler saw the deep scar in his palm "That means loyalty in case you are wondering and it's blind when you sire yourself to the strongest Alpha alive. You shouldn't be bothering the Alpha's girl. That's not a very smart thing to do Tyler"

"He won't be the Alpha for long" Tyler said with a smile and turned around to leave but there was another group of boys waiting for him.

He frowned and didn't have time to fight properly until one of them was on him and punching him hard, two others held him down and the beating that followed was strong and painful.

* * *

Klaus watched the line of men slowly fading, the sire ritual was ending and he was almost happy about it.

Which was very strange, not long ago he was happily collecting werewolves for his pack in the woods and now he felt that something important was missing.

The last one sired himself and handed the blade to Klaus that took it with a solemn nod, he looked at the men and women smiling at him.

"There is a war coming and I will need all of you but for now you must stay here, I don't want anyone to know that you are all under my command, until the right time"

They all understood and scattered around working like a tight unit already, gathering wood for the fire and setting up camp with the tents they had brought with them.

Klaus watched his army settle down, one of the girls was shyly smiling at him as she came closer "We were wondering if you will stay with us until the full moon and give us the honor of shifting with us, hunting with us" her eyes were sparkling with hope, this would be something very big for all of them.

And surprisingly for Stefan, Klaus didn't answer straight away, he seemed to be somewhere else, not here since the sire ritual and Stefan smiled mostly to himself.

He saw the way Klaus was clutching to his cell and the girl realized she wasn't getting an answer.  
She smiled at her Alpha still hoping he would give them this happiness but the full moon was still in a few nights away.

Stefan looked at his friend "I'll stay with Yana"  
Klaus licked his lips "Thank you Stefan" he simply said and rushed back down the mountain and to his car.

Yana came near Stefan "Where is he going?"  
Stefan smiled and looked at the blonde girl "Do you like Bon Jovi?"

The girl was confused and shook her head "I guess… they are a bunch of old guys but they look like vampires, they never seem to age"

There was a huge smile on Stefan's face "Let me tell you a story about a beautiful Summer day when Bon Jovi performed in Times Square..."

* * *

Rebekah huffed and threw another dress on the bed, she looked at her closet and closed her eyes; she had no idea what to wear to this date.

Why had she even said yes, this was an idiotic thing to do and she grabbed her cell.  
She would call him and say that she couldn't go, that was the smart thing to do.

She was about to touch the green button but felt her courage make a small comeback, maybe she would have fun and she wasn't someone who backed away that easily.

She threw the cell on the bed as well and picked a random dress; she pressed the dark green short dress to her body and looked at the size mirror in her room.  
"Green doesn't suit you as much as red"

She rolled her eyes "How did you get in here?"  
Damon smiled leaning against the threshold "Your brother sent me to keep an eye on you"

"I'm going to stab Nik for his concern over my wellbeing when he gets back"  
"I volunteered" Damon said with that bastard smile of his.

Rebekah went to the bed to look for another dress, she avoided all the red ones on purpose and that made him chuckle.  
"I have a date, are you going as well so that you keep an eye on me?" she asked smiling and pressing the blue dress to her body.

"Do you want me to go?" he asked slowly.  
Rebekah laughed going through her other dresses "I'm the Original here Damon, I'm the one that should be keeping an eye on you"

He came inside her room slowly and picked a red dress from the bed, she gave him a side look, Damon moved slowly and placed himself behind her, the red dress was pinned against her with his hand and he brushed her neck with his lips.

"Damon…" she whispered, she wasn't being the big bad Original now, she was so weak with his touch and nothing left her angrier.

He turned her so she could see herself in the mirror, he looked at her through it and smiled "Red suits you" he whispered and placed a soft kiss on her neck.

Rebekah fought a whimper or a moan because he messed with her like no one had ever been able to.  
She grabbed the dress and turned her face enough so she could see him "Get out of my room, I have to get ready for a date"

Damon looked at her lips and she felt his hot breath tickle them, there was a big smile on his lips "Have fun"  
She closed her eyes when he pulled away from her back and walked to the door "Just…" he said as he stopped by the door "…You and I? It's not over, it will never be Bex"

She threw the dress at the door mad at him but he was gone, she grabbed the sides of her head, why was he tormenting her now?  
Why did he always have to do this? Show up when she was starting to move on.

* * *

"Here rests the heart of the woman who never used it, I suppose that's why it looks so good and preserved" Kol said with a smirk.

Bonnie rolled her eyes "You are so silly..." she whispered closing the black box with Esther's heart.  
He kissed her cheek and moved to her neck "Just honest darling... she was an awful mother"

Bonnie moved so she could look at him "I'm sorry about your mother... your father... your brother Finn... you really had back luck with your family"  
Kol smiled taken by her sweetness and kissed her lips "No need darling, they say you don't choose family but Elijah, Nik, Bekah and I chose each other. It made us stronger and slightly paranoid and psychotic along the way as well..."

She laughed and playfully punched his naked chest "I'm serious Kol"  
"So am I love, it has been just us for a very long time and only now we are letting other's in..." he reached out and stroked her cheek, he played with a stray lock of her hair.

"We need to tell Caroline..." she said feeling guilty.  
Kol smiled and she giggled because she wasn't any longer sitting in front of him on her bed, he moved them in his supernatural speed and she was now laying under him.

"She's going to start making names for us, do you want that? Do you want to walk around being called Kennett or something insane like only Caroline would come up with?" he asked serious.  
Bonnie frowned and shook her head "No"

Then she opened up to that amazing smile she mesmerized him with and he stroked the side of her naked body.  
"My father just tried to kill me, it's not very smart that others find out about us" he said dead serious now.

Bonnie nodded and stroked his hair slowly "I understand..." she said and felt trapped in his hazel eyes.  
Kol leaned over and kiss her, she met his tongue happy that today had been a lot slower than their first time together.

She was even happier that there was going to be a second round to it all when he suddenly broke away from her lips, she squint and opened her mouth to protest.  
Kol grabbed the black box and quickly placed it on the floor "I'm not really comfortable having sex with my mother's heart watching"

Bonnie burst into a roar, she was still laughing when he returned to her.  
He gave her a boyish smile that she loved too much and she shook her head "You are so so silly"

He gave another smile and a much more mischievous look, he might be silly but he was damn good at what he was about to do with her.  
And she bit her lip anticipating it all with a shiver.

* * *

Caroline played with the brim of his pillow; she silently tried to force herself to sleep by focusing in this silly rim on the soft blue pillow, she moved her hand down to the sheet and rested it over his place.

She hastily moved and faced her ceiling, the biggest torture was that it was raining and she couldn't stop thinking of him.

After several minutes staring at this random spot in the ceiling she decided to get her cell, she hesitated again and chewed on her lip before deciding against it but this time her cell became alive and she saw his name on the screen.

"Yes?" she asked bursting with joy that he called her.  
_"Hello sweetheart, did I wake you?"_

"No, I couldn't sleep…" she said facing the dark night and the pouring rain through the window in his room.

_"Is something on your mind?"  
_She closed her eyes soothed by his constant concern about her.

"Yes…" she touched her necklace "There's a tall, handsome man on my mind, he has dirty blonde hair and deep blue eyes that make me dizzy and these amazing lips that I find irresistible and I'm so in love with him that it hurts"

She could imagine him licking his lips apprehensively at her words, on some mountain with Stefan and the silly werewolf Yana.

She hated that Yana had gone with them; that she was spending the night with him instead of her and Caroline knew how irrational her jealous fit was right now but she couldn't help it.

She made her way downstairs, walking through the empty house barefoot, wearing only one of his shirts.  
_"I know about what happened in the cemetery today, why haven't you called me Caroline?"_

She brushed her hair "Because I won't call you every time I get upset, you have important things to handle Niklaus"  
_"Nothing is more important to me than you Caroline"_

She shook her head walking inside the kitchen, she poured some water for herself "You can't say those things when you aren't around Niklaus..."

"Turn around sweetheart"

She frowned, the voice wasn't coming from the cell and she was quick on her heels.  
He was standing in the threshold looking at her, smiling.

She was undecided between being mad and running to him, she rested her cell and her hands on the counter behind her and looked at him, waiting for him.

"Stefan and Yana stayed behind with the pack; I realized I shouldn't pick them over you. There will always be someone after us but I just got you back and I shouldn't be leaving you alone in that awful big bed of ours"

"You are a moron" she said gulping down her tears.  
Klaus smiled and walked to her, he picked her up and sat her on the counter of the kitchen slowly "I love you too Caroline"

She clicked her teeth lacing herself around him, she ran her hand through his stubble but didn't say anything, she just smiled happy and kissed him.

Klaus cupped her face and kissed her slowly, he was in no hurry, he intended to please the woman in his arms tonight, taking his time and pouring all his love and desire for her into it.

She gently stroked his neck and his hair and moaned when his hand caressed her bare leg and found her back, pressing her to him.

He broke the kiss touching at her wet lip with his thumb and felt her hands outline his chest.  
"You became my priority Caroline but I suppose you have always been"

He looked into these eyes that had held him this morning and all he wanted was to fade into her, to forget about his true destiny as a leader because he was in charge of hundreds of men but there was one woman in charge of his faith and that woman was smiling at him now, resting her hand over his beating heart.

"Take me to bed Niklaus" she whispered wanting to fade into him as well.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

DJ, Ease my mind – Niki & The Dove


	32. The First

**Hello sweethearts, **  
**Our beloved TVD returns finally to us and I have to take the chance to thank everyone that stood by all (!) of my stories and made my Summer a lot more bearable than I first anticipated with the long hiatus ahead of me.**  
**Thank you for all the reviews, messages, rants and cries that you have so kindly shared with me.**  
**I know that everyone is as excited as I am to see our beloved characters back and the new season unfold, it will be nothing short but amazing I'm sure and I take the time to thank those that now will move on to the real deal lmao. **  
**Thank you for a wonderful, fun, moving and epic Summer, you guys are the best.**  
**I love you all.**  
**Cheers, Ad**

* * *

"I have homework to do Niklaus" Caroline said stroking his stubble with a smile.

Klaus chuckled and teased her lips "And I have places to be, obligations to my pack"  
He couldn't tell if she was doing it on purpose but she was smoldering him with those big eyes of hers.

"Then I have to let you go…"  
Klaus hand soothed her neck and then he kissed her slowly savoring her soft lips and her demanding tongue.

Caroline moved in the couch so she would be more comfortable and his hand moved down her long beautiful hair to her back.

They kissed forgetting that they had things to do and places to be, it came naturally for those who have eternity ahead of them.

She playfully nibbled on his lips, smiled because his hand was powerful on her back, stroked his hair slowly running her fingers through it.

Klaus trailed her bottom lip slowly with his lips and then there was a moment where both weren't sure if they could sneak in a lazy afternoon between their plans.

Caroline teased him with the tip of her tongue and smiled because she could see all the things he wanted to do with her right now and laughed when he groaned because his cell was buzzing.

She didn't tell him to not answer it but she moved her lips to the corner of his mouth and left butterfly kisses there of her own.

Her hand was being mean when she caressed his chest and went up to his neck, pressing her hand to the warm skin.

Klaus glanced over to his cell and hesitated but how could he even think properly when Caroline was kissing his neck.  
He rolled his eyes upset when the cell went off again and because Caroline giggled.

"Really Caroline?" he whispered with her evilness.  
She pressed her sinful lips to his neck again and felt his skin wrinkle in a powerful way when she added her tongue to the slow tasting of his wonderful neck.

Her fingers found that niche in the back of his neck now and she searched his lips now, Klaus claimed the kiss and she moaned happily into it, his hand pressed her closer to him.

He kissed her long and intensely leaving her a little out of breath which was a feat for a vampire.  
"Niklaus Mikaelson it's nothing short but a crime the way you kiss me" she said touching his wet lips.

He gave her a mischievous smile "The first time I kissed you I was nothing short but a sinner"  
She trapped his lip in her teeth "But it's such a good sin" she whispered and kissed him, he might have been the one to teach her how to kiss but she had been a fast learner.

* * *

Rebekah smiled when Matt opened her door "I had no idea Mystic Falls still had the perfect gentleman"

Matt flashed that amazing smile "I may be the local washed out football player but I still know how to handle a lady"

Rebekah looked down from him, fixing her hair that was caught to the side tonight "I don't see you like that Matt and I loved having dinner with you last night and the movie was perfect today "

He reached his hand out to her "We still have a little bit left of our night… maybe I can impress you even more"

She took his hand and smiled at his warmth, the way her hand seemed to vanish inside of his was comforting somehow.  
"What are we doing here?" she looked at the green field in front of her.

"This is my favorite place, where I'm most comfortable and I thought it would be perfect to end our night here"

She gave him a look and then laughed because she was wearing a knee-length red dress with ankle boots and he was wearing a deep green shirt with black pants, he looked classy and too dashing for his own good.

"Are you mistaking my dress for a cheerleader outfit Matt?"  
He chuckled but kept walking, they reached the middle of the field and he stopped, Rebekah gave him a cautious look.

"This is where I have been the most happy in my life Bekah… the best moments happened here where I didn't have to mourn my sister or cry over a mother that never cared about us"  
Rebekah looked at him serious, there was very little she knew about the dashing boy with blue eyes.

"I can't imagine how it is to live alone, in all my epic fights with Nik, he would leave me stranded somewhere occasionally but it wouldn't take him more than 24 hours to send someone for me"  
Matt smiled with her sadness, with the way she was linking to his sorrow.

"I got used to it… it's not the most glamorous life and I still have to pay for my depths and school and everything but it could be worse" he said smiling.  
"How?" Rebekah asked genuinely doubtful.

Matt laughed and it pulled a smile and a look from her, he had a wonderful smile.  
"I'm standing in the middle of a football field with a beautiful girl under the moon"

She rolled her eyes scorning his words "You sound just out of an old movie…"  
He smiled widely and laced his hands around her fast, he tipped her over and she was laughing softly with his silly actions.

"Then allow me to be entirely old-fashioned" he said and cupped her cheek.  
Rebekah's laughter faded and she became serious, waiting for him.

Matt leaned over and kissed her slowly, while she was dipped down and was going to pull away from her but she caught his head and kept him in place, fully answering his kiss.

Matt pulled her back up to him and the kiss became deeper, more passionate.  
"How romantic, kissing under the moon"

They both broke the kiss and no one was more surprised than Rebekah to find Damon before them with some blonde glued to him.

* * *

"So…" Klaus brought a chair and sat in front of Tyler "… we have a pending conversation, you and I"

Tyler was sitting on the ground minding his healing face, he gave Klaus a sarcastic smile "I can hardly hold my enthusiasm"

Klaus smiled and licked his lips, he rested his elbows on his knees and gave Tyler his best stare "I'm not even going to hurt you for teaming up with Mikael and trying to kill my baby brother"

Tyler touched his split lip and shrugged "I don't have anything else to talk to you"  
Klaus slightly rose his chin to the two werewolves waiting instructions, they silently left the room.

Tyler stood up slowly and eyed the hybrid that hadn't moved from an inch.  
"There's the small matter of the woman who you should have never touched"

Tyler reacted to the serious tone in Klaus words but kept it together "I didn't do anything that she didn't want me to"

Klaus tongue graced his bottom lip as slow as he intended on torturing the insolent boy, he stood up looking at Tyler, all his anger and despise kept inside for now.  
"I suppose Caroline wanted to be in a relationship where she was mistreated, yelled at and my personal favorite, deceived"

Tyler gave him a nervous smile "Like she didn't cheat on me? She never loved me, she was waiting for you all along" he spat out and then gulped down for courage to push the hybrid just that bit more "Thank you though for taking your time to come into town, she might not have been into it, all the times we did it but she sure is something else in bed"

Klaus raised his eyes slowly to Tyler, the werewolf never felt as frightened as he did in that very second and regretted the bitter words that had just left his mouth.

"You know what the best thing about your Origins Tyler is?"  
The werewolf didn't answer him; he waited preparing himself for pain instead.

"I can kill you as many times as I wish, any way I want and you still won't die, because I'm supernatural and you can't die at the hands of anything supernatural"

Tyler unconsciously took a step back but Klaus pushed his hand on his chest making sure the boy went all the way against the wall, he narrowed at him "Round one" he said and quickly moved, snapping his neck.

He dropped Tyler to the ground clenching his jaw, he wondered if removing his head wouldn't really kill him.  
He walked to the door where his loyal men waited for him "Strap him to the ceiling and get me some wolvesbane" his cell went off again and he finally answered the persistent caller.

* * *

"Are we staying here?" The blonde girl said glued to Damon's arm.

He ignored the disposable one by his side and slowly covered the perfect one in front of him next to the silly human "Nice red dress" Damon said and pierced Rebekah with his stunning blue eyes.

Rebekah looked at the insignificant blonde trying to seduce Damon with her hand in his chest "What are you doing here?" she asked him upset.

"Sarah here, gets turned on with public school places" he casually said.  
"Damon!" the girl pulled away from him embarrassed and looked down from the couple in front of them "… and it's Savannah"

Matt pressed his lips angry with the rude interruption "We should go Bekah"  
Rebekah looked at him fast "No… you brought me here because it was important to you, ignore him"

Damon smiled and started walking, his date followed him slowly "We should do a little one on one game Matt. I have a thing for football"  
Matt looked at Rebekah and then at Damon "Whenever you want"

"One of these days Matt" Damon said without looking back, lacing his arm around his girl.  
Rebekah scolded them knowing what they were going to do and where, as they headed to the bleachers, she faced Matt and he wasn't too happy.

"What's the story between you and Damon?"  
Rebekah touched her neck upset "Can we not talk about him?"

Matt shook his head "We can but I know better than jumping into something with someone who still has unfinished business"  
"I don't have anything left to settle with Damon" she said determined.

Matt touched her face "You may have forever to resolve your issues with him but I don't"  
She looked down grimacing as he left to his car, she followed him slowly but still glanced back to the man who just ruined her night.

It was a quiet ride home and Matt barely returned her smile when she left his truck.  
She hated that he drove away without stepping outside or kissing her goodbye.

Rebekah sighed and took the little clip holding her hair to the side and went to her front door playing with that clip.

She closed her eyes stopping in her motions when she saw Damon sitting in the porch with that smug smirk of his.

"Trouble in human heaven already?" he asked standing up.  
Rebekah shook her head and looked at him "Did you not have enough with ruining my date?"

He grew closer to her slowly "Bex… who are we kidding? I can sleep around with the entire town and you can go to silly dates with every human you find but…" he reached to touch her but she stopped him with her hand, shaking him away.

"No, I'm done with you Damon"  
He kept his smile "Rebekah... I know that you still love me"

She laughed loudly in his face "My feelings for you are long gone"  
He didn't answer, he came closer to her and she shoved him away, making her way to the door fast.

She managed to open the front door but he was right behind her slamming it shut, she pressed her lips but didn't turn around to face him this time.

Damon leaned over and removed her hair from her neck and rested his lips there, she tried to wriggle away from him but Damon's hand was in her stomach and he pressed her to him.

"Tell me that you don't feel anything for me now Bex"  
She gulped down "I don't…" she managed.

Damon closed his eyes and ran his hand up her bare arm "You can tell when someone is lying… so turn around and face me Bex"

She shook her head "Let me go Damon"  
Damon swiftly turned her to him, his hands on her shoulders and his expression serious now, like she rarely had the opportunity to witness.

"I still love you, I never stopped loving you" he said staring into those eyes that he couldn't get out of his head.  
She hated it but she could feel how he was telling her the truth, she still fought him though "If you really loved me you wouldn't sleep with Katherine"

Damon shook his head "It was just sex Rebekah" he hissed mad.  
Rebekah narrowed at him "So is Matt"

But Damon didn't find her amusing at all "I screwed up, I get it. I've paid for my mistake for 150 years, don't you think it's enough?"  
"No" she said and there was a smile on her lips "Maybe in another 150 we can talk again"

She tried getting away from him but Damon had enough, she had punished him for falling for Katherine's mind games and no matter how many times he tried forcing on himself the lie that he was over Rebekah, being close to her again was slowly breaking him down.

Rebekah could see what was about to happen, she knew Damon too well but her stupid body wasn't fighting him and she answered his kiss.

Her hands were alive and making their way to his strong dark hair and instead of pushing him away, she was pressing herself to him.

Damon had forgotten how much he loved kissing Rebekah, how sweet she tasted and how she was able to stoke that invisible fire inside of him.

"I'd like to go inside the house so if you could be so kind to retrieve your tongue from my sister's throat..." Kol said next to the couple kissing and blocking the door.

Damon slowly pulled away from Rebekah "Kol…"  
The young Mikaelson gave him a faint smile and then scolded his sister.

He opened the door and she took advantage of it following him inside, she left Damon standing there with a roll of his eyes, Rebekah at her finest.

Caroline had moved from the library into the kitchen, it had better light that she really didn't need, it was just hard focusing on her homework when she kept gazing to the couch where she had kissed Klaus for an hour before he finally left.

Kol walked inside with a bad mood, he took a Vodka bottle from the freezer and slammed the door mad; he sat across Caroline without talking and poured himself a generous dosage.

Rebekah came inside the kitchen as well and he gave her a look, she quickly shrugged it off and grabbed a glass for herself.

She sat next to him and smiled at him "Go on, tell me how disappointed you are or mad at me"  
Kol gave her a smile and happily ignored her picking up his cell and focusing on it.

It left Rebekah even angrier and she looked at Caroline that was trying to focus on her books.  
Rebekah sighed deeply "Matt kissed me" she said "And Damon" she added because Kol chuckled from his seat.

Caroline slowly looked up from her forced reading and smiled a little at the blonde "Which one did you like the best?"  
"I highly doubt Matt Donovan tasted her tonsils" Kol said finishing his text message.

Rebekah clasped her lips and violently punched his arm.  
Kol gave her a mad look "Do that again and I'll give you a new haircut"

"Touch me and I'll cut off your hand" she crossed her arms.  
"Why can you only be nice to me when I'm dying?"

"Why do you always have to make such a scandal about the men I date?"  
Kol sarcastically smiled at her "Because you make it all too easy on me"

Caroline smiled watching Rebekah squint and expected her to pull Kol's hair but instead she took Kol's cell fast.  
"Hand me that back, now Bekah" he urged her.

"Why are you scheduling a date for later with someone called _darling_? You actually named someone on your phone as… darling?"  
She tilted her head looking at him.

Kol laughed and retrieved his cell "I have a really nosy sister and it's none of your business"  
She raised her eyebrow amused "Are you dating the witch?"

Kol pulled a face "No" he said and finished his drink standing up when his cell started buzzing; he showed the screen to his sister.

She laughed when she saw **The Artist **written on the screen.  
"That's Nik… what name do I go by in your cell?"

Kol laughed by the door "Annoying little brat"  
Rebekah rolled her eyes and looked at Caroline that pretended to focus on her books.

"What should I do? About Matt and Damon?" she asked easily.  
Caroline crossed her arms over the table facing her with a big smile "Which one do you like?"

"Matt is sweet… he is so pure and God… those eyes of his" she said with a sigh.  
Caroline started banging her pencil lazily on her study notes "And Damon?"

Rebekah leaned back on her chair huffing "I still love the bastard"  
Caroline smiled warmly at her and reached for Kol's glass, she refilled both glasses "You can't really fight that"

Rebekah took her drink "I can try…"

* * *

Elena moved as slow as she could, she didn't even dare to breathe now, she looked back at the bed when the door made that shriek noise but thankfully Elijah was sleeping.

She waited another second before going out, she had prayed all day for this chance and finally Elijah fell asleep, she pretended to be sleeping as well until she heard his steady breathing and now that she got her break, Elena ran down the stairs of the old Motel fast.

She reached the parking lot and looked behind her expecting Elijah to show up but she could breathe because he wasn't on to her.  
She jumped when Mikael showed up in front of her.

"It took you long enough to make that call Elena" he said crossing his hands in front of him, standing there all menacing.  
Elena looked for some courage she lacked in spades "I couldn't get away long enough to call you"

"I'm a patient man… as long as I get what I want in the end" he said and nodded behind her.  
Two men grabbed her by the arms; Elena couldn't fake her fear "I need to know that Jeremy is ok"

Mikael started walking to his SUV "He's fine Elena. He's getting used to his new life as a vampire"  
Elena gasped "You… turned my brother?" she whispered.

Mikael smiled "Funny thing when you are a hybrid, the possibilities are endless"  
Her warm tears streamed down her face, she couldn't imagine what Jeremy was going through.

"Where is he?" she asked when they reached the car.  
Mikael gave her a smile "You'll be reunited with him soon" he said and opened the back door for her.

One of the men bowed her head to push her inside but she felt him drop by her side and looked as surprised as Mikael.  
Elijah threw the two hearts he ripped away and smiled at the older man.

"Hello father, I'm terribly sorry for your dogs"  
Mikael clasped his lips shrugging "I have more from where those came from"

"Come here Elena" Elijah said sternly and she sensed how mad he was at her.  
She wanted to move but she was scared of the way Mikael was smiling and taunting Elijah and those few seconds that took her to react were enough.

Mikael flashed and laced his arm around her neck "She's not going anywhere but inside that car with me"  
"I wouldn't count on that father"

"You have always been a noble man Elijah, close to being my favorite son, if only you didn't show such weakness for your siblings... They always held you back from true greatness Elijah"  
Elijah showed his father a sad smile "I suppose killing us off one by one is a sign of bravery"

Mikael quickly shoved Elena and the doppelganger hit her head on the window car, she was dizzy and tried to focus on the blur that was Mikael going against his older son.  
Elijah and Mikael had a titan fight, trying to win over each other, a duel of strength.

Elena held her head feeling it buzzing and watched as Mikael punched his own son hard; she had a hard time watching it all especially because Elijah was restraining from hurting his father.

And that was making her worried; she would never forgive herself if anything happened to Elijah because of her.  
Mikael realized what Elena had and came at Elijah with full force, knowing he wouldn't fight him hard,  
Elijah landed close to Elena bleeding from Mikael's furious knee to his face.

He looked at Elena and she started crying, she looked at Mikael that knelt in front of Elijah.  
"You promised me that you wouldn't hurt him" Elena said between her tears and coming closer to them.

Mikael gave her a look followed by a smile "I lied"  
She flinched when his fangs came out and his eyes became yellow.

"No" she gasped.  
But Mikael was fast and flung at Elijah that still fought him but yelled when Mikael sank his ravenous teeth into his arm.

Elijah clutched his arm in pain, the venom spreading fast already and he clasped his lips trying to reach out for Elena as his father grabbed her by the arm and forced her to stand.

He looked at Elijah knowing he was losing another son today but he walked away, pulling a desperate Elena along with him.  
She tried to free herself and go to Elijah that was already losing consciousness.

Mikael shoved her inside the SUV but didn't close the door to it because he saw the fast car stop in front of him.  
Elena never thought she would be so happy to see them; she quickly fled towards the other car.

Mikael watched the two insolent boys and knew his battle for now was lost; he got inside his car and drove away.

Kol and Klaus looked as the car speed away aware they had to let him go for now.  
Kol gave Elena a mad look "Next time you decide to make plans of your own, I will kill you myself"

She looked down on the ground silently nodding.  
Klaus rushed to his older brother and quickly bit into his wrist feeding Elijah with his blood.

Kol grimaced "How come I had to suffer for hours and almost die to get your blood and Elijah gets it so easily?"

Klaus looked at Kol and shook his head smiling "Stop pouting and give me a hand"  
But Kol was pouting when he went to help Klaus to carry Elijah back to their car.

* * *

Elena nested Elijah's head in her lap, stroking it gently feeling so guilty for taking things into her own hands.

She didn't get Jeremy back and almost got Elijah killed instead, her tears fell silently on the way back to Mystic Falls.

She cried even more when she saw Caroline and Bonnie waiting for her at the mansion by the fountain.  
She ran to them and found comfort in the group hug.

Caroline and Bonnie hugged her friend closely, they had been through a lot together and they would survive this as well.  
Rebekah came to the door and smiled at Elena as Caroline took her friend inside.

Bonnie stayed behind a little awkwardly smiling at Kol that didn't follow her inside the house.  
Rebekah gave him a playful smile "How adorable you look with your darling"

Kol gave her a vicious look that only made her laugh harder.

* * *

Elena had fallen asleep in one of the guest rooms and Caroline made her way to her own room, she smiled when she passed Kol's room, the door wasn't completely closed and she could listen to Bonnie's voice.  
_  
"A thousand years old and you can't lie? Pretend that there was nothing going on between us?"  
_Caroline smiled even more when she caught a glimpse of Kol's answer, a passionate kiss that silenced Bonnie.

Oh, how she loved them together.  
She found Klaus lying in the dark, she knew he was awake but she still got ready for bed quietly.

When she finally came to the bed, she rested on her side and smiled because his arm instantly went around her waist and she started stroking his hand.

Klaus pulled her closer to him and her back found his chest "How was homework?"  
The silly question took her mind off Elena and the hard time her friend was having "Boring"

Klaus kissed her shoulder and she sighed entwining her fingers with his.  
"Caroline…"  
"What is it?" she asked suspicious of his uneasiness and turned to face him.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to come find you, to remember you and us"  
It came out of nowhere and hit her harder than a punch to her face but she quickly reacted "I forgive you… if you promise to never forget about me again"

Klaus licked his lips and then smiled at her showing his dimples "I promise sweetheart"  
She smiled and cupped his face to only move to his neck when he kissed her.

* * *

Mikael parked the car and punched the wheel mad; things did not go as expected, at all.

He was fuming when he came inside the crypt where Luka's father was now morning his son, crying over his loss.

Mikael was even more upset, if the witch hadn't been capable of the task he demanded, heads would roll now.

But the tall brunet with the heavy curls now picked up neatly in a ponytail turned around sensing his presence and smiled at him.

Mikael felt a warmth long forgotten inside of him "It worked..."  
The black man took a moment away from his grief "I did as you asked, her essence was still inside of her body, even if we don't have the heart, she's with us now"

Mikael cupped Katherine's chin happy "It's been a very long time my love"  
She smiled and placed her hands over his chest "Where's Finn?"

Mikael tensed his jaw, of course she would ask for her favorite son first.  
"Esther… Finn is dead. Niklaus killed him, there was nothing I could do for him"

The Original Vampire trapped inside of Katherine's body raised her eyes in hatred "I will leave him for last…"

Mikael smiled "There's… a surprise you will enjoy I'm sure… his human pet has been reincarnated and she's here with him"

He could recognize her smile through the Petrova's features "This is will be fun…" she said set on taking revenge on the son that killed her and now Finn as well.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Walking after you – _Foo Fighters_

Lonely boy – _Black keys_


	33. By your side

**Hello sweethearts,  
I just want to take the opportunity to thank some amazing bears that have been such huge supporters of this fic in particular.  
You bears make me blush so much in Twitter and in reviews and messages that I felt the need to acknowledge you in particular.  
To my Second in command forever and always: **_ YGrebenyuk_**  
And to **_ KlausNCaroline, KlausKing, KlausEPIC , romi _princess DSalvatoresGirl_

**I love you all, thank you for everything!  
And to all my other reviewers, anon or just random ppl that take time to read my stuff, I thank you as well.  
Cheers, Ad.**

* * *

Caroline juggled the two coffee mugs in her hand; she was a vampire but still, it was hard opening the door with two mugs in her hand.

She kicked the door gently with her foot "Elena, open up"  
But her friend was taking her time and Caroline frowned, she dropped the mugs on the floor and opened the door to the guest room and wasn't happy to find the bed untouched and Elena gone.

She came outside fast, the few men around from Klaus pack was the target of her rage "Did you let my friend leave just like that?"  
"What friend?" one of them asked.

"Elena" she said mad, crossing her arms for further display of her anger.  
"She left last night, not long after the Alpha arrived" one of them said now worried that they were in trouble "No one told us that she wasn't supposed to leave the house"

Caroline threw her head back and grabbed her cell, she dialed Klaus number.  
_"Yes sweetheart?"_

"Your pack is useless" she said eyeing them mad.  
They looked at each other, she was able to sign their death if she wished.  
_  
"Now love… be gentle, us wolves have feelings as well"  
_She clicked her teeth together "Elena isn't in the house, she fled and they didn't do anything to stop her"  
_  
"They are dead as soon as I return" _  
Caroline felt a sting of pity for them but she was too mad to react properly now.

"I'm going to look for her at her house"  
_"I don't want you roaming around town alone"_

She smiled and started her car "I'll be fine, you don't have to worry so much"  
_"Caroline…"_

She sighed "Fine, I'll grab Kol on the way, if he isn't too busy kissing my friend" she giggled and ended the call.

* * *

Bonnie parked by the Grill touching her hair and making sure she looked good before going inside the bar.

A woman showed up in front of her out of nowhere, she frowned "Elena?"  
"Not even close" she said and flashed to Bonnie biting her neck before she could do anything.

Bonnie dropped to the floor pressing her bleeding neck and about to pass out when a blonde blur came at the vampire and pushed her away.  
Esther's back hit a car and she smiled amused "A little more feisty now Caroline, are we?"

Caroline tilted her head "Katherine?"  
She didn't know the vampire well but knew that Damon had left her with a stake inside an old tomb.

"Hello Caroline"  
Caroline didn't like the smile she gave her a tiny bit.

Katherine's smile was vicious and dark "It's been so long dear"  
Caroline was confused "Have we met?"

"Unfortunately you just won't die and stay dead" she said with a sigh.  
Caroline wasn't getting any of this but she was getting unsettled by it "What do you want?"

"Your pain will do wonders for now dear" she said and looked at Bonnie "Along with your friend"

Caroline felt something familiar that she couldn't explain about the woman but it wasn't until she looked at her in that superior and judging way that she fully understood.

"How is it possible?" She whispered.

Esther clasped her hands "Magic"  
Caroline backed away to Bonnie "Can you do anything?"

But Bonnie didn't answer, she was out cold already.  
Caroline had to do something but Esther came at her and pinned her against Bonnie's van "I'm stronger than you girl. This body is strong enough to make you pay"

"For what?" Caroline asked in a low voice.  
"Niklaus was naive and fell right into that sweetness and innocence that you faked but I was never fooled, you played my son so well and then you flirted and seduced Finn"

Caroline was appalled "I never even looked at Finn"

Esther shook her head with despise "Lies that you have sold Niklaus"  
Caroline shoved her away, showing her fangs but Esther was fast and swift and grabbed Bonnie.

She taunted Caroline by threatening to twist the unconscious girl's neck "Get inside the car"  
Caroline clicked her teeth "Don't hurt her"

"Do as I say, now you petulant useless child" Esther hissed.  
Caroline did as she asked, always keeping an eye on Bonnie.

Esther got inside and ordered her to drive away.

* * *

Elena cleaned her tears standing against the wall in the dark room, she knew this was a risk, a huge one but she was going all the way through with it.

Finally there was a noise which implied movement from outside and Elena tried to be strong, not as scared as she had been when Mikael locked her in here.  
The door opened up to shed light into the dark place and she squint at it covering her face a little.

A big man came inside and grabbed her by the arm leading her outside; she was led through a hall and then roughly seated on a couch.

She looked around the fancy room as the man went away and jumped of that couch as fast as she could when Jeremy was brought in as well.

Elena wasn't sure if she should shorten that space between them, he probably hated her a lot more now with his enhanced abilities and she quietly cried.

"Are you all right?" she asked between her tears.  
Jeremy smiled and closed that gap between them, he pulled Elena into a tight hug barely keeping in mind that he was a vampire now and she a human.

Elena sobbed now in his arms, the last time he hugged her was back when their parents were still alive.  
"I remember everything, that you compelled me to forget about you" he said against her shoulder.

Elena clutched his shirt "I just wanted you to be safe"  
"I know that now. I'm sorry for everything Elena" he whispered.

Elena cried even harder now, this was all she ever wished for all these years.  
"Touching moment" Mikael said walking inside the room.

Elena parted from Jeremy and cleaned her tears "Let him go"  
"You are the one holding on to him" Mikael said taunting her.

"We had a deal, I would give myself up and in exchange you would free my brother" she said determined.  
Mikael smiled "All in its good time"

Elena clenched her jaw mad and without thinking went to him "Let my brother go" she demanded.  
Mikael grabbed her by the neck and squeezed, she was choking immediately and Jeremy flashed his fangs, flashing at Mikael, he dropped Elena and started gripping the boy's chest instead around his heart.

"Stop" Elena screamed, her throat burning from the pain.  
Elena watched Jeremy fade away without being able to put up a fight.

"You, I need… him…" Mikael pressed his hand and Jeremy's shirt became red with blood.

"Please stop… don't kill my brother" she cried.  
Jeremy looked at her with tears in his eyes, regretting all the months he wasted hating her and blaming her for something that had always been out of her hands.

Elena covered her mouth crying hard and watching Mikael kill Jeremy slowly.  
"Please stop…" she whispered now watching Jeremy fall to his knees weak.

"I'm… sorry Elena" he whispered his last words and fell to her horror.  
She wasn't aware that she was screaming his name as Mikael walked away.

* * *

The fact that Tyler couldn't be killed by him nor his pack made the experience of torturing Tyler too sweet.

He never really enjoyed taking matters into his own hands but getting Tyler's blood in his hands was turning out to be too rewarding.

Klaus stepped away from Tyler and cleaned his hands before picking up his cell, Kol was stressing from the other side.  
_"I can't see her anywhere but her car is here"_

"What do you mean she's not there? She called me an hour ago on the way to get you before going over to Elena's"  
_"And Bonnie's not here either" _

Klaus closed his eyes, he knew something was wrong and that his Caroline was in danger, he turned his back on the bleeding kid and went to the Grill where Kol was about to go into war over Bonnie's disappearance as well.

* * *

Rebekah finished the cheerleader practice without having her mind into it, she was constantly looking at the football practice and at Matt, after showering she decided to wait for him by his truck.

He wasn't too excited to see her there but left the other boys on the way and came near her.  
Rebekah clutched her gym bag and searched for the right things to tell him.

"I'm sorry about the other night" she said with a warm smile.

"What happened the other night?" he easily said and closed the door to his truck, putting away his own bag.  
"Damon was obnoxious and inconvenient"

Matt smiled "Why are you apologizing for Damon being a dick?"  
Rebekah fixed her long hair nervously "I like you Matt but I have a past with him, a very ancient and problematic past with Damon"

"I wasn't expecting to be easy between us but I was expecting that you being an Original was the only thing I would have to worry about. I saw you and Damon and there's still a lot there to be solved"  
She nodded "I know but I really like you Matt"

He looked down on the floor with those amazing blue eyes of his "Any other girl and that would have been enough Bekah"  
She clasped her bottom lip upset "I'm sorry Matt" she said and left to her car, there was no use in keeping this going.

Rebekah reached her car determined to go speak to Damon but there was a sharp pain in her head and she focused enough to see a tall black man closing his fist, the pain became stronger but she still fought him.

Rebekah let her fangs out and flashed to him, sinking her teeth roughly into the man's neck.  
Luka's father yelled but as much as he tried to fight her, it was of no use; she quickly ended his life, mostly upset from everything that was happening and happy that she got someone to take her frustration upon.

She licked her lips when she was done and made sure she wasn't smeared with the man's blood.  
She froze when she saw Matt there looking at her, the human looked as horrified as he probably was and in that moment Rebekah remembered Kol's words.

Dating a human was nothing short but set on breaking her heart even more, she called her brother for help.

* * *

Bonnie moaned and moved her head, feeling the pain in her neck, she touched it and sat down, she tried to understand where she was and quickly realized she was inside the old tomb below Fells Church.

Caroline stood against the wall looking at Esther in the body of another woman.  
"You hadn't enough with ruining Niklaus life, you had to do the same to Finn"

Caroline didn't speak; she just looked at the woman.  
Esther came near her and cupped Caroline's chin "Mikael said that you were responsible for his death"

Caroline smiled at her "I told Nik to kill him slow and painfully"  
Esther pressed her lips mad "You little wench, it's going to be fun killing you and making sure Niklaus sees it"

"He's your son, how can you wish something so cruel for him? And your husband? He has been busy trying to kill every last one of your children and I can bet that body you have rented that he will be coming for you next. He brought you back for a reason and he will kill you"

Esther looked serious but far from being sorry "Maybe I should kill you now…"  
"Now Esther... be patient my love" Mikael said and the girls looked at the man.

"Why can't I kill her?" Esther asked Mikael not very amused by his restrictions.  
"I need the Original hybrid for the ritual, we both know he will come for his pet and they killed my witch so I will need her" he simply said and Esther looked at Bonnie.

Mikael was more interest in the blonde one though, he came near her and Caroline melted even more against the wall, he eyed her for a second before he felt Esther behind his back.

"What should I do with her while you wait for Niklaus? I can't kill her but you deserve a welcome gift my love"

Esther smiled darkly behind him "I saw chains in the other cave"  
Mikael grabbed Caroline's hair "I always loved the wicked thoughts you had Esther"

She tapped her chin happy and watched as he dragged Caroline away.

* * *

"Do I need to compel the football captain?" Kol asked walking inside the Grill after taking care of the dead man's body.

"I don't think so…" Rebekah said happy that her drink was strong.  
"You think… that's reassuring" Kol said on edge.

The front door opened again and Klaus came inside strutting on a mission.  
"What the hell is going on?" She asked her brother.

"Dear father is collecting what he needs to break the curse, Elijah called, Elena isn't at her home either" Klaus said and everyone sensed the concern in him.

He dropped a black book on the counter "The Original vampire, the Original werewolf, the Doppelganger, a witch and me"  
"They are short of a witch, I killed him half an hour ago" Rebekah said and filled her glass again.

"They have Bonnie" Kol tried to keep his anger tamed but it was hard, he picked a bottle and threw it against the others.

"They still need a lot of things but I'm buying time with Tyler, until Stefan gets here with Yana and the pack" Klaus said trying to control Kol which was hard and he was fighting himself to just go rip heads and hearts out but he needed a plan.

His siblings looked at him already suspicious of a plan, Rebekah was the first to stand up and confront him.  
"I will not let you go face to face with father over Caroline"

Klaus looked at her with that scary stare but she wasn't backing down.  
"You can't go to him when there is a chance you won't be coming back"

"I know what I'm doing" he said sternly.  
Rebekah shook her head "She's not worth it, neither of them"

Klaus could have ripped her heart out just for thinking the words, even more for saying them.  
Kol wasn't having any of this; he grabbed his bat and made it to the door.

Rebekah laughed in a mad jitter "All of you bending backwards over these girls… I'm about to lose my family over them… you are smarter than this, both of you and you are risking everything to go rescue them?" she shook her head.

"Mikael will never stop until we solve this and you saw today how he came after everyone, not just the two women that we are about to go retrieve" Kol said by the door.

"Unlike the rest of you idiots I did not spend a millennia looking for Caroline and I couldn't care less if she dies, along with that epic tool of Elena that almost got Elijah dead and now ran right into Mikael's arms again. And don't get me started on Bonnie that is just another name on your black book"

"Are you done being jealous at the wrong time?" He threw mad at his sister.  
Rebekah couldn't even look at him "My two brothers are about to go into war just to retrieve two women that I couldn't care less about. We should just leave, get out of this town and run as fast as we can, he won't find us if we don't want him to" she tried desperate now.

"I won't leave without her" Klaus was determined.  
"You will die with her" she said with her tears starting to run down her cheeks.

"Then I will Rebekah" he said in the simplest way because there was no other choice for him.  
Neither Kol or Klaus stopped and left the Grill after the girls.

Elijah was waiting for them outside.  
"I compelled the pack to let Elena go" Elijah said and it was like a bomb exploding.

Klaus squint at his brother in disbelief.

"She came to see me in my room, apologizing for what happened and we came up with a plan, she wasn't going to stop until she got Jeremy back so she enlisted my help. What wasn't planned was Caroline getting caught"

Klaus licked his lips in anger "Are you not tired of conspiring behind my back?"  
"It was a good plan, it still is" Elijah stood behind his actions.

"Mikael has Caroline" Klaus shouted mad.  
Elijah looked down from his brother's anger.

"If anything happens to her…" Klaus threat was eerie and very real.  
Kol was already starting the car and he would leave without Klaus if he didn't hurry.

"Go back and keep an eye on Tyler, Mikael cannot get to him" Klaus left his stern instructions and got inside the car with Kol racing away.

* * *

"I'll take the twelve in the left" Kol said eyeing the werewolves guarding the tomb where the girls were kept.  
The information, courtesy of Klaus few wolves still scattered around town.

Klaus smiled "I'll take the other two"  
Kol smirked and started swinging that bat too perfectly; they were no match to a man set on getting his girl back.

They rushed down to the tomb when Kol swing the last head off and stopped in front of the entrance.  
"The last time I was here, vampires that went in, couldn't come out" Klaus said touching nothing but air in front of him.

Kol used the bat and waved it in front of that one open entry, he looked at his brother "They are in there..."  
Klaus smiled at Kol and he did the same, they were Kol and Klaus Mikaelson, they were fearless and in love.

Awful and dangerous combination.

They came in slowly, knowing they would have someone waiting for them, probably Mikael but the sexy girl who greeted them left them confused.

"I'll give you a hint… I'm not Katherine and there's a hole in my chest, right where my heart used to  
be, the one that you stabbed with a sword" she said and looked at Klaus.

"Mother" he said with despise for the woman.  
"We have a lot to discuss" she said defying him with a smile.

"Let me go get my sword so I can trespass it through your cold heart again" he returned the smile.  
"This is highly disconcerting…" Kol whispered.

She looked at her younger son.  
"I slept with you… Elijah slept with you" he said with a sick expression "Well… the body you but still, this is very disturbing"

Klaus and Esther gave him a double look.  
"Where is Mikael?" Klaus asked focusing again.

"Looking for my heart and the werewolf that you have" she said happy that their plan was going so well.  
Kol looked at Klaus "Can you handle the mommy issues? I'm going for Bonnie"

Klaus nodded slightly and smiled at Esther "He really left you in here all alone? What's the catch?"  
Esther shrugged and didn't expect the reaction from her son, he was so fast that he shoved her against the cave wall hard, he snarled at her and she gave him a furious look, she crouched and showed her fangs at him.

"Come on mother, let's get acquainted" he said with his fangs out as well and his yellow eyes.  
Esther snarled "I will not rest until I end your existence Niklaus"

"Get in line" he said and flashed to her.  
Esther didn't hold back and fought her son fiercely but there was no love left in his heart for this woman and he tried to bit her neck knowing he would condemn her to a slow painful death.

She tried to dodge his teeth but he was ruthless and she screamed with his bite, staggering to the ground when he let her go.

He left her there in pain already and went for Caroline, she crawled her way out of the tomb.

* * *

Kol found Bonnie inside some sort of cell.  
"Kol…" she smiled weakly at him.

He gave her a small smile, not because he wasn't happy to see her but because he see how roughly someone had fed off her and his blood was boiling inside of him.

He used the bat for leverage and quickly broke the locker that held her inside; he opened the door and came near her.

He checked her neck first and clasped his lips mad.  
"I'm ok…" she whispered.

He stroked her perfect satin skin "This should have never happened"  
"I knew you would come for me" she whispered with his touch on her cheek.

He leaned over and kissed her lips, she smiled when he pulled away.  
"You should have my blood" he said cupping her face with both of his hands now.

Bonnie took a deep breath "No, I'm ok but we need to go to Caroline"

* * *

His entire chest ached at the sight of his sweet Caroline like this.

Caroline sat against the wall, her arms pulled up by chains and a cloth around her mouth, she was silently crying due to the pain.

Klaus knelt removing the horrible weapon that was burning her precious, delicate skin, her tears rolled down her face and he easily opened the chains around her wrists.

The corners of her mouth were badly hurt from the Vervain used on the soaking gag and he stroked her cheek, shaking slightly that she was always in danger and being tortured because of him.

Caroline leaned over and rested her head against his chest; she was still crying but mostly happy because he was here now.

Klaus stroked the back of her head gently "Can you stand love?"  
She nodded and pulled away from him, he helped her get up and they came towards the door where Bonnie and Kol waited for them already.

Caroline leaned against Klaus and smiled at Bonnie "Let's just go home"  
Bonnie smiled and Caroline recognized a shade of sadness in Bonnie.

She stopped half way out and Klaus looked at her already outside.  
Bonnie looked at Kol "I think I love you..." she said and stroked his hair, then a tear was coming down her cheek "I'm sorry" she said and opened her palm.

Kol and Caroline that were closer to her fell to their knees in pain, she looked at Klaus "Take them away and don't let them come back"

Klaus grabbed Caroline that tried to fight him.  
The rock that covered the entrance began to move and Caroline yelled for her friend.

"Mikael needs a powerful witch and I can't help him do this, I'm locking myself in here until I die, no one will be able to come in and I won't be able to leave" She explained and looked at Kol that was bewildered with her choice.

Klaus was trying to get him out, now that Caroline was out of danger.  
"Bonnie, don't do this" Caroline was crying.

She smiled and took a step back starting a more powerful mantra, the rock moved faster and the tomb outside started to crumble.

Kol grabbed Klaus hand and his brother looked at him, he squint having that silent conversation with him.  
He licked his lips, tiny rocks starting to fall over them both.

"Nik…" Caroline called desperate now, covering herself from the ceiling giving in on them.  
"I'll find a way…" Klaus whispered to his brother.

Kol smiled and squeezed his hand, Klaus fought to keep his emotions tamed as he stepped away from Kol.

He grabbed Caroline that was mostly lost and crying over Bonnie that now knelt with her eyes closed, that rock was almost closing and Caroline felt Klaus drag her outside the tomb, she managed to catch one last glimpse of her friend falling to the side drained by the powerful spell.

Before she hit the floor something caught her and she slowly opened her eyes, she was being carried now and recognized his chest.  
"Why did… you do that?" she whispered weakly.

"Because I think I love you too darling" Kol said carrying her to the area of the cave where the cell was, he laid her inside and bit into his wrist, feeding her next.

When she was done, he held her close to him.  
"This is stupid" she said annoyed and nesting on his chest, seated against him.

"I know, that was really stupid of you Bonnie" he said and laced his arms around her.

* * *

"Oh my God…" Caroline covered her mouth.

How did things end like this, she knew nothing of Elena and now Bonnie was trapped inside a tomb.  
Klaus pulled her closer to him and she was clinging to his shirt and crying loudly, frantic and barely keeping it together.

He collected from that unexplainable strength inside of him and gently pulled her head away from his chest.

Klaus looked at the woman on her limits "We will get them out of there, I promise"  
She wanted to believe him, to believe the man she loved more than her life, that held her face strongly between his hands, that looked at her about to cry as well.

And she did, she found strength in him and nodded.  
"We will find a way... we will find a way" he said mostly repeating the encouragement he needed.

Caroline controlled her sobs and rested her hands on his neck "We will find a way" she said reassuring him.

Klaus nodded and rested his forehead against hers, this was a nightmare but she was safe and with him.

Together they would find a way to get Bonnie and his brother out of there alive.  
And kill his beloved parents along the way.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Madness – _Muse_

Breathe me - _Sia_


	34. Destiny and Blood

"We will find a way... we will find a way" he said mostly repeating the encouragement he needed.  
Caroline controlled her sobs and rested her hands on his neck "We will find a way" she said reassuring him.

Klaus kissed her tasting the salt in her lips and taking that final strength he needed and that she always gave him, she stroked his neck kissing him back, together they could do anything.  
He breathed against her lips, his forehead against hers.

"What are we going to do now?" Caroline asked him.  
For sure he had a plan and she wanted to be involved in it.

There were footsteps growing closer and she looked behind her, Stefan and Yana came in front of a large group of men.

Caroline wasn't sure if she felt more frightened now or before, sure, they were all under Klaus command and they also were a powerful omen to war.

This is what Mikael craved for; he wanted the natural power that Klaus had to lead packs of werewolves that sired themselves to him easily and without raising any questions.

Mikael wanted this but he also wanted to be able to sire vampires as well, to become the most powerful and strong creature on this planet.  
Klaus was happy to see his friend again and quickly let him in on everything that was happening.

"I got a call from the pack keeping watch on Bonnie's house, Mikael has been there with Elena, he was looking for something"  
Klaus nod "I know what he was after, let him leave... I know where he is doing the ritual"

"You think he's doing it now?" Stefan asked.  
"He doesn't have much time, I bit my mother and she doesn't have long to live"

"But he doesn't have a witch" Caroline said walking closely behind them.  
"He might not need one" Klaus said and she realized they were near the Old Witch house.

It was said that a group of witches had died in this house and that their presence and spirit was kept inside after the violent death.  
Just like their magic.

"Why would they help him?" Caroline asked fearing his answer.  
Stefan and Yana walked ahead, giving them some privacy and taking knives out of their pockets, Mikael's pack was around.

Klaus licked his lips and cupped Caroline's face, a lost and confused expression on her features.  
"I killed Emily, they hate me and they will help him because he will promise to kill me if they help him" He said slowly.

"You don't know that" she whispered.  
He smiled at her "Sweetheart… he wants this and he will not stop until he gets what he wants and I don't intend to stop him"

"What?" she asked gulping down.  
"There is only one way to kill Mikael, when he's half way through the ritual, he will be weak and vulnerable and I will have my chance"

She shook her head softly "You are going to get hurt"  
"I am half werewolf sweetheart, I have a beating heart that can be destroyed as easily as a human heart"

Caroline clutched his shirt in her hands reacting to his aching words.  
"It doesn't mean that I will die if it stops, I am half vampire as well" he said with a smirk.

She couldn't smile with his words; she couldn't be ok with the thought of losing him.  
"Caroline…" he stroked her face with his thumbs and made her look at him "I love you, as a doomed human or a cursed Hybrid I have only belonged to one woman"

She slowly traced her bottom lip with her tongue; this was already killing her.  
"I can't lose you" she said locking her big eyes with his intense blue ones.

"The legend says that the woman I love, that made me feel will be the last one to listen to my heart beat, that she will kill me"  
"It's a lie, it's a fake legend that Elijah made up" she hastily fought where he was going with this.

"He also kept Elena's and Katherine's true purpose from me; he didn't want me to be able to make more hybrids"  
Caroline fought not to cry "This is suicide, you are talking like you know that you are walking into certain death"

"I have found you twice throughout my existence, that is more than any common man is blessed with. That's what's important to me, no matter what happens today, know that I have loved you more than any man ever could"

Caroline gulped down her tears and answered his kiss, she answered with all her love and passion and wanting to hold him here with her, forever.  
But Klaus pulled away and left a kiss on her lips, before he left, he took one last look at her and smiled.

"One way or another I don't regret anything I did for you Caroline" he said serious and stepping into that soldier mood.  
She tried to hold his hand but he walked away determined.

"Don't let her inside that house. Hurt her if you have to" he told Stefan that gulped down and looked at Caroline.  
She was crying and holding her head, she had to get past Stefan now but she was not going to sit outside calmly while Klaus went face to face with his monstrous father, she kept her tears tamed.

Yana smiled at Caroline knowing she wasn't of any comfort for the worried vampire.  
Caroline stood there looking at Stefan knowing that she would have to go against him, she tensed when a group of men showed up ready to fight.

Both packs sized each other, knowing which side of loyalty they stood for.  
Yana was the first to go at them with her sharp blade and a loud snarl, her men followed her into battle.

Caroline licked her lips and eyed Stefan that stood between her and Klaus.

* * *

Rebekah paced inside the Grill, her previous anger was giving way to the growing feeling that she should be with her brother's.

They could be in danger and she was holding on to the feeble need to be loved and concern over losing them.

She had one more drink and left after them, she could really hate them sometimes but she also loved them and she was worried about them.

She reached outside to find Damon parking his blue car.  
"Where are you going?" he asked her still inside it.

"To my family" she wasn't too kind in her voice but he didn't care.  
He stepped outside cutting her strut, she gave him a mad look.

"I'm not letting you go so that you get hurt as well"  
"Move Damon" she hissed.

"No" he said and frowned his blue eyes.  
"You should listen to him Rebekah"

The female weak voice made her turn around, she was surprised to say the least.  
"What do you want Katherine?"

The other vampire smiled "I'm not Katherine love, I'm your mother"  
Rebekah tilted her head "You are hallucinating already" she spotted the werewolf bite wound.

"Your father brought my spirit back and placed it inside this woman"  
"Why?" Rebekah asked and her voice came out in a slow pace.

"He wants to use me… I know that he doesn't love me and that he left me in the caves only to distract Nikalus and Kol enough for him to fetch for my heart"  
"What happened to Nik and Kol?" Rebekah asked again slowly.

"They are all right, it's you that I'm worried about. My beautiful daughter" she took a step closer to her and Damon moved standing next to Rebekah protectively.  
Esther gave him a vicious look "I just want to talk to my daughter one last time before I die"

"You don't have to touch her for that" he said clenching his jaw.  
"I didn't have the chance to watch her grow, become this amazing strong woman and I just want to… hug my daughter before I lay down and die"

Esther was sweet and her words were full on pain and sorrow.  
"Why didn't you do anything when he tried to kill us?" Rebekah asked with pain.

"I turned you all because I didn't want to lose you" she said and reached out her hand to Rebekah.  
The blonde hesitated but took it, she smiled at Esther and then she was serious.

There was a tension in her heart and she couldn't breath, she touched her chest and felt her life being drained, all of her energy and looked at her mother with tears, how could she?

"Bekah?" Damon asked as the blonde fell to her knees, he supported her before she hit the ground and looked at Esther.  
"What did you do?"

"My final act as a mother, I killed all of my children" she said coldly.  
Damon shook Rebekah but she didn't answer, she was slowly becoming grey and desiccated.

He looked up at Esther and flashed gripping her throat ready to kill her, she simply looked at him and then she rolled her eyes agonizing and started shaking, he let her go and she fell to the ground spamming, after a few more agonizing fits, she was still as death took over her.

* * *

"Kol? KOL?" Bonnie called worried, she touched his cold skin, watched as he became grey and nested his head on her lap.

She closed her eyes and invoked her magic, she needed him to be ok, the last time he had been like this it was because they were all linked, she could only assume that Mikael had found a way to break the curse.

She held Kol close to her and locked her fingers with his cold ones, she called upon his energy and used it to break this spell he was under.

Blood started dripping on him from her nose but she kept going, she would save him even if that meant she would lose her own life.

Tyler yelled in pain as his heart raced like mad, it was like it was about to jump off his chest, he looked at Elijah lying on the ground grey and maybe dead.

The pack members didn't know what to do, they just looked at Tyler and Elijah.  
There was another yell from Tyler and he started panting, then he began to shift only to stop.

It all just made his heart strain even more.  
He knelt with his arms hanging from the chains that kept him in place and yelled again, his heart was pounding and his chest was about to burst.

He gasped as his heart seemed to explode inside of him and then he fell to the ground lifeless.

* * *

"It has started" Mikael said and released Elena's hand.

She clutched it and wrapped a piece of her shirt around her open wound.  
Mikael dropped the blade happy that his own wound was closing already, he was healing fast and that was a good sign.

Elena silently cried, watching the box with the heart inside covered in her blood and Mikael's.  
"What has?" she asked quietly.

Mikael smiled at her "The witches are helping me, I can feel it. To hand me back what was supposed to be mine all along, they have to end every Original creature that exists so that a new kind can be born, a mix of both worlds, able to walk in the sun and enslave the moon. A new evil, there is only one thing missing…" he said with a dark smile and flung himself at the Doppelganger, snapping her neck easily.

Mikael could feel his body changing, the energy was strong all around him, he would be able to shift and his blood would be enough to create more hybrids, Mikael felt his hands change, his fingers getting long and smiled happy, he had missed his shifting days.

A sharp pain went through him, his back started contorting in a grotesque way, the first shifting was always painful and hard but it was all worth it.

He would be more powerful than Klaus ever was, he would have the ability to create an army like him and the power to sire both Vampires and Werewolves, he would be the true and only number one Alpha.

His screams echoed through the room and he bent down panting, he wanted to go outside and howl at the moon not even full but already slave to his will.

He tried to shift completely and fast, by now Tyler, Esther and his children would be dead, he had killed Elena after using her blood; he closed his eyes but nothing happened, the pain was easing up and he looked at his hands that were no longer shifting but looking normal and human.

"NOOOOOO" he yelled mad.  
How was this possible? He had done everything right.

Klaus walked inside the room slowly, taking his time to let it all sync in with his father.  
Mikael snarled at his unharmed son.

Klaus smiled "Finding it hard to shift old man and to go out there and start siring everyone you find on your path?"  
"Starting with your beloved pet would be a great start" he spat out.

But it would take Klaus a lot more to react "By now you realized I'm sure that something went wrong"  
"What did you do, you ungrateful, useless pathetic excuse of a son?"

"Nothing... nature did it for me" Klaus shrugged.  
"Do not take me for a fool boy, I will beat you down like all the other times"

Klaus kept his smile "You are short of a whip and I'm not that boy anymore, you can't use shame to cripple me before my siblings"

Mikael was amused by Klaus subtle anger "I only made sure they knew what a petty, little coward you were"

"It had the opposite effect you know? All the times you took out on me your frustration, it only made me stronger. Every time you pushed me, it only made me push harder, every time you punished me for being your son it only made me hate you as my father more, so you see, after a few years it gets into your bones, part of your bloodstream. I'm quite the master at this now" Klaus taunted him with a smile, though it was a sad one.

"If anything, I made you stronger and tougher than the idiotic boy who lost himself in silly drawings. You had everything to be a King among men and you wasted it all. From the day you saw that petulant human with no money in her family or a name, you were a waste of power"

Klaus smiled and shook his head "I suppose that's why every one of you went after her… she wasn't my weakness, she became my strength the moment I saw her standing in that market and she became the reason I wanted to fight you and your wretch ways"

Mikael snarled again, his fangs exposed to Klaus "You are not worthy of being my son, after all I taught you and you still would trade love for the biggest power in the world"

"I had more than you ever will... you were never a father to me and I already killed dear mother so please… do enjoy when I remove your heart from your chest" Klaus said and his eyes changed into yellow.

Mikael came at him, his fangs going hungry at him, eager to bite him but Klaus fought his father as an equal.  
The candles inside the room lit up and Klaus smiled before a confused expression from the older hybrid.

* * *

Damon held Rebekah and stroked her cheek "Come on Bex... I still need you to forgive me"  
Rebekah's skin became warmer and he smiled, he touched her beautiful long blonde hair "That's it... fight it Bekah"

Her skin became a natural color and he scanned her perfect face, he loved her, he never stopped loving her.

There was a moan and she opened her eyes slowly, she wasn't sure what happened but liked when Damon rested her head against his chest and held her close to him.

She smiled against his shirt, this was the closest Damon would be to her and she missed his vulnerable side, she missed everything about him but she couldn't tell him that.

She would make him work hard for it but for now she just enjoyed the way he smelled good and how strong his chest was.

* * *

Kol touched his chest, it was hurting and not in a good way.  
He looked up at Bonnie that cried and cleaned her face from all the blood and the tears with her sleeve.

"Are you all right?" he asked her concerned.  
She laughed through it all "Yes, I got you back"

Kol frowned "What happened?"  
"The witches backed away, I begged them to spare you and I think you were all linked. It's all up to Klaus now to kill Mikael"

"I need you to get me out of here" Kol sat up even with an aching chest, he needed to be with his brother.  
"I can't Kol, not right now, this spell took a lot from me..." she said tired.

Kol licked his lips and closed his eyes.  
He should be with Klaus right now.

"I'm sorry..." Bonnie whispered and looked down on the ground.  
Kol smiled and moved, he cupped her face and made her look at him.

"I was the one that decided to play the hero card and locked myself in here with you"  
She smiled at him "That was kind of crazy..."

"Not hot?" he asked frowning.  
She laughed softly and eased up, he pulled her closer to him and she moved, sitting against his chest.

She sighed "Did you mean what you said?"  
"Yes... did you?" he asked softly stroking her back.

She looked at him "I need to get us out of here so I can properly say that I love you without doom over us"  
He smiled and cupped her face, his soft lips found hers and it was like a rush of energy.

She gasped and looked into his hazel eyes "There's something about us Kol, my magic reacts to you"  
There was a smirk on his lips "Well darling, my magic reacts to you as well"

She laughed and rolled her eyes at his silly ways but once she calmed down, she searched his lips again and kissed him deeply.

Kol pressed her to him and took charge of the kiss, she pulled his hair with the intensity of it and the rock at the entrance started moving.

* * *

Klaus fist came down hard on Mikael's face making him bleed, he grabbed the man by his suit jacket "It all ends tonight, any final words… _father_?"

"Why didn't it work? I had everything…" he was still fighting to understand this.  
"Elena had Elijah's blood in her system and Bonnie sacrificed herself to stop you, that counts a whole lot more than you asking for their help using my past actions" Klaus said and gripped his hand around where Mikael's heart was.

"I failed…" Mikael said looking down from Klaus.

"In everything old man, through it all, Rebekah, Kol, Elijah and I stood above it all together. You only made us stronger and united. Nothing will ever break the bond we have between us and that is what I want you to take to your grave"

"You insolent boy..." Mikael hissed and punched Klaus.  
They fought each other as two wolves trying to take each other down.

Mikael crouched, his fangs ready to take Klaus into sweet death, he came at Klaus ready for the kill but Klaus caught him and shoved his hand into his chest hard.  
Mikael knelt, clutching Klaus sleeve, he groaned in pain as Klaus made his way swiftly to the heart.

Klaus grip made its way through the shirt and into the flesh, he could feel the heart in his hand and prepared to end it all.  
"Niklaus… son…"

The fragile tone in his voice made Klaus frown but not hesitate.

Mikael's hand rested on his arm, he gently squeezed his arm and Klaus gulped down, in that second he looked down at Mikael, their gaze meeting and Klaus felt more love in that single look than he did all his life used as a punching bag to a mad man, blinded by power and greed.

He eased up his grip and Mikael pulled a knife trapped in his belt behind his back, under the suit.  
The move was swift and clean, Klaus looked down on his own chest, the knife piercing through his heart.

He staggered letting Mikael go and fell to his knees looking at the blade, he couldn't breath properly and the pain was settling in, quietly, like the silent death ripping him.

* * *

Caroline still tried to go past Stefan but he always managed to stop her, she knew there was a massive fight going around her with the hybrids but she only had eyes for that house where Klaus was.

"Just give up already Caroline, I don't want to hurt you..." Stefan said and pushed her away again.  
But she didn't answer him, she was clutching her chest.

He tilted his head "Is this a trick Caroline?"  
"No..." she said determined and tried even more eagerly to get around him.

He only touched her arms now, worried by her anxiety "Caroline…"  
"Listen to me, there's something wrong, I can feel it" she said barely keeping her tears away.

Stefan believed her and let her go following her inside the house.

"Niklaus" she rushed as soon as she saw him falling to his knees.  
She caught him and cradled him in her arms as he fell backwards.

He was weak, his life fading and she was shaking, touching his face, afraid she might hurt him if she touched him too hard.

Stefan looked with hate at the man who had done so much harm to his best friend and taking advantage of his weakness, he flashed and ended Klaus work, Mikael tried to fight him but Yana and two other hybrids rushed inside and held the man for Stefan.

He took his time, making the man suffer with every slow pull of his heart, he finally yanked it out when he was done looking at him.

"What…" Caroline couldn't talk; she looked at the blade in his chest "What can I do?"  
Caroline was desperate and touched the knife, he slowly nodded at her and she pulled it out, dropping it on the floor.

Klaus screamed in pain but then controlled himself and looked at her "It's all right love…"  
"Don't say that…" she was mad.

He smiled again "_The hybrid will be forever alone until he finds her. She will make his heart beat for the first time for she will be the last one to hear it beat"_

Caroline shook her head "Stop. You will not die, I forbid you to die" she said between her clenched teeth "You hear me? I forbid you to leave me" she stroked his stubble.

Klaus kept his smile but closed his eyes tired.  
"Maybe our blood can help..." Stefan said as worried as she was.

Caroline easily bit her wrist but Stefan stopped her "NO, if he bites you, you will die"  
She looked at Stefan serious "I don't care"

"I do sweetheart" Klaus said and she looked at him.  
"I won't let you die" she said fiercely cupping his face.

"Get her… out…" Klaus told Stefan.  
"I will not leave your side" she said as stern as she could and then looked at Yana and the other two hybrids "You leave"

Yana squint "I won't leave my Alpha"  
"Leave now or I will rip your head off and everyone in your family" Caroline shouted mad.

Yana clasped her lips and looked at Stefan, he nodded at her and she moved her head so that her two men followed her.  
Caroline clicked her teeth "You too Stefan"

"I have a small family" he tried to ease up the moment.  
She didn't allow him "This is between me and Niklaus, I know that you love him but I want to be alone with him now"

Stefan looked at his old friend "You better heal, I still need to take you to a Bon Jovi gig"  
Klaus smiled at his brother by addition and nodded solemnly, probably saying goodbye to him.

Caroline didn't look at Stefan as he left, she kept stroking Klaus cheek, wanting to keep his skin warm somehow.  
"You have spent too much time with me love when you start threatening like me"  
She chuckled "You leave your mark on a woman Niklaus"

"I don't want you to do this Caroline" he was serious.  
She shook her head "It's my turn to chase after you"

He frowned at her "What do you mean sweetheart?" he asked in a whisper.  
She bent down and kissed his perfect raspberry lips "If you die, I will follow you, chase after you until I find you"

He licked his lips slowly "I will find you sweetheart. I always do" he said while his heart finally gave in, the last beats slower and ending his life.

Caroline kissed him again and then bit into her wrist, she rested it against his lips and stroked his cheek waiting for him, hoping that this would work.

Klaus resisted at first but the blood dripped into his mouth, her blood was sweet and like silk on his tongue, he closed his eyes and bit into her flesh.

Caroline stroked his hair while he fed and closed her own eyes moaning as the heat from his werewolf venom came into her bloodstream.

She expected the pain and the fever to come but instead she felt exhilarated and felt a strange taste in her mouth, a taste like blood, she was feeling what he was feeling.

She opened her eyes and removed her hand from his lips, she touched her skin and it wasn't the infected wound she expected, she was healing and she looked at Klaus.

He sat up healing as well, the blood in his shirt drying because his wound wasn't bleeding anymore.  
"I don't understand…" she said completely baffled sitting on the ground with him.

"_There would be a man one day that would join two worlds together, the day and the night" _Klaus said lost in the tale he had heard so many times from his big brother.

Caroline felt the tears sting now in her eyes, this wasn't normal, everything with Klaus had always been intense and even surreal but this…

"_The legend spoke of uniting two different worlds, werewolves and vampires, day and night. He was the sun, bound to fear the full moon and she was the moon, bound to fear the sun, together they would complete each other and become equals" _Elijah's warm voice came inside the room and both Caroline and Klaus looked at him bewildered.

He smiled at them "There was always something else about the woman who caught your heart brother" he said crouching in front of Klaus and placing his hand over his shoulder "From the day you came home saying you had met your future wife, I knew she was the one"

"You never told me that her blood… that I…" Klaus didn't finish his thoughts.

Elijah squeezed his shoulder "Some things can't be told Niklaus, I needed you to find out by your own" he looked back at the blonde girl chewing on her bottom lip "Caroline's blood can heal you and you can't harm her with your werewolf side"

Klaus looked at her and she smiled at him "Can't get much more epic than that"  
Elijah smiled "But this stays between us. I'm the only one that has put all pieces together and believed this legend from day one"

He stood up and scooped Elena's body into his arms, she would wake up as a vampire soon.

"You should take some time for yourselves, Mystic Falls has taken its tole on you both and after everything, you deserve to be alone for a while. I will take care of Elena and make sure Alaric is safe. You are both linked to each other through destiny and blood, take your time to come to terms with that" Elijah said warmly and smiling.

Finally the prophecy was complete and his brother free.

He left them alone and Caroline stood up as well, Klaus came near her and touched her cheek, traced it with the back of his hand, was it possible that she looked even more beautiful now?  
Because she looked like any dream should look.

"Are you sure that you are all right?" he asked concerned about her.  
"Yes" she said and showed him her wrist already healed and then rested her hand over his heart.

She closed her eyes smiling because it was beating strong and for her, she knew that.  
They came outside together, his arm around her shoulders, keeping her close to him, his pack stood before him victoriously and with very little casualties.

Yana smiled happy that he was standing; she looked at Stefan that returned her smile.  
Klaus stopped by him and squeezed his shoulder "Thank you for everything my friend"

He looked at his pack that parted for him and Caroline to go through.

* * *

Rebekah smiled at Damon that wanted to help her out of the car.

"I'm back to myself Damon" she snapped when he tried to carry her.  
"I can see that" he rolled his eyes but followed her inside the house.

Rebekah huffed that he was glued to her but there was a white envelope on the table in the lobby that pulled her attention there.

"What's that?" Damon asked behind her.  
She started reading the small letter and turned to Damon, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Hey… what's the matter?" he asked cupping her chin and trapping this tear in his finger.  
She smiled in that sad way "Nik and Caroline left"

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Phenomenon – Thousand Foot Krutch **  
**Viva La Vida - Coldplay


	35. Epilogue

She kissed him indulging her hands in his hair, all messed up now after making love.

She smiled at him and bit her lip, smiling seemed all she did lately.  
Caroline had never been so happy in her entire life.

Lying here on an improvised cradle on the floor, next to the mantel inside the huge room turned into a studio, she found that happiness was something she had always perused and finally found it in the arms of the man kissing her chin slowly.

His hands were caressing her naked body that he had captured in another one of his paintings.  
She loved being his muse and posing for him, just like she loved racing along with him on horse rides throughout the huge property that Klaus bought in the English countryside.

She stroked his neck and played with his most important necklace, the manor they now had been living for the past year looked like a castle and she loved being the princess running through the natural maze in the garden, he always caught her but then again she never stray away too fast or far from him.

Klaus smiled and touched her lips "I was supposed to be now on a big meeting of some sorts"  
She gave him an innocent look "It was your idea Niklaus to draw me like in that movie"

"I was appalled that you thought that she looked better than you" he easily said.  
"Maybe I just wanted to lay naked and with my hands artistically placed over my face and my head and smolder you with my big eyes"

She wasn't being so innocent now and Klaus gave her a look.  
"This little post drawing fest means that Yana is freaking out in London because I didn't go meet my new pack members" he tried to be stern.

But Caroline moved her foot over his leg and pursed her lips "Didn't you have more fun here than speeding down in your fast car for two hours to go see a bunch of wolves drooling over you and Yana flirting with Stefan?"

Klaus licked his lips "Sweetheart… you are not playing fair"  
Caroline kissed his neck and stroked the back of it gently; her fingernails came down his back "We need to take advantage before everyone else finds out where we are"

Klaus sighed "Rebekah is still in Mystic Falls going back and forth with Damon. Elijah is in France with Elena that finally has come around with her feelings for him after all he did to help her with the transition and new life as a vampire..."

"The last I heard of Kol and Bonnie, they were in Spain where everything is hot and steamy like them"  
Klaus smiled and traced her chin slowly "Soon they will all barge inside that door and I'll have to fight them for your attention" he pouted.

"Then I suggest you make the most of it while we are still alone" she said and teased his lips with the tip of her tongue.  
Klaus smiled at her and squeezed the side of her body, all he ever wanted was in his arms right now.

"Rebekah dragged me into Mystic Falls in search of a normal life and so much happened since that day I saw you outside the Grill..." he said slowly taking in her beauty.

Caroline answered his powerful stare "You came for me even without knowing and you showed me how to be strong, fearless but using my head" she smiled knowing he would like that one and then she was serious "You taught me how to be smart and you showed me what love was"

"You were always with me and in the end we did fade into each other" he said with all that love in his voice and expression.  
Caroline caressed his chest and stopped by his beating heart "In the end I did own this"

"Ask me Caroline..." he smiled at her.  
She touched at his necklaces smiling "Make love to me Niklaus"

Klaus leaned over and kissed her, her hands were busy with his faultless body and his claimed what was his.

Over a thousand years countless people tried to break them apart, keep them away from each other but their love was stronger and this was exactly as it should have been when they were human.

The end.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Bleeding love - _Leona Lewis_

* * *

_**Thank you everyone that has left me a review or just read this.  
It was a journey that I loved sharing with you all.  
With all my love, this was Fade into me.  
Cheers, Ad**_

I dedicate this fiction to the amazing themesmerisingone (Mirela) that made the cover to this fic and also Primal Feelings.  
It's her bday today and I just want to dedicate this to the Uber talented girl who supported me so much throughout the writing of this and made the most amazing sets for Tumblr based on chapters that I wrote.

You truly are talented and you have left me speechless every single time, I still feel overwhelmed by all the sets you did (also for Gravity), and I hope this makes you smile.  
Happy Birthday gorgeous.  
I love you SO much, Ad

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

Pilot:

Can't find my way home - _Blind Faith_

_2._

Can't fight it - _Oh mercy_

_3._

Houses - _Great Northern_

_4._

Give me love - _Ed Sheeran_

_5._

Volcano - _Damien Rice_

_6._

Sugar we're going down - _Fall out boy_

_7._

Hard row - _The Black keys_

_8._

Conscious Killer -_ Black Rebel Motorcycle Club_

_9._

We don't eat - _James Vincent McMorrow_  
Wide Awake - _Katy Perry_

_10._

Kiss me - _Ed Sheeran_

_11._

Glad you came - _The Wanted  
_Breathe Again - _Sara Bareilles_  
Guarded - _Kevin Daniel_

_12._

These days - _Foo Fighters_

_13._

Hurricane - _30 Seconds to Mars_

_14._

The scientist – _Coldplay_

_15._

I shall believe - _Sheryl Crow_

_16._

Falling slowly - _Glen Hansard_

_17._

Turn to stone - _Ingrid Michaelson  
_Girl you'll be a woman soon - _Urge Overkill_

_18._

Stay – _Hurts_

_19._

I need to know - _Kris Allen_

_20._

Possibility - _Lykke Li_

_21._

Painted on my heart - _The Cult  
_The time comes - _Nina Gordon_

_22._

Open your eyes - _Snow Patrol  
_Come along with me – _Titiyo_

_23._

Survival – _Muse  
_Never let me go – _Florence and the Machine_

24.

Ready for love - _India. Arie_

_25._

Titanium - _David Guetta  
_All my life – _Foo Fighters_

26.

Where have you been – _Rhianna_

_27._

Beautiful Disaster – _Kelly Clarkson (Live)_

_28._

Out of my hands - _Dave Mathews Band_

_29._

Belief – _Gavin DeGraw  
_Feel – _Robbie Williams _

30.

A little less conversation - _Elvis Presley VS JXL  
_Desire - _Ryan Adams_

31.

DJ, Ease my mind – Niki & The Dove

32.

Walking after you – _Foo Fighters  
_Lonely boy – _Black keys_

33.

Madness – _Muse  
_Breathe me - _Sia_

34.

Phenomenon – Thousand Foot Krutch **  
**Viva La Vida – Coldplay

35.

Bleeding love - _Leona Lewis_


End file.
